Kazakhstan is opening the door to a new gambling development model focused on foreign visitors, with designated territories in three regions set to become potential hubs for casinos, betting and other gambling facilities.
The new framework takes effect on September 11, 2026, following a government resolution that establishes the geographical boundaries for potential gambling zones in East Kazakhstan, Zhetysu and Mangystau.
The move is part of a broader strategy to attract international tourists and investment while linking gambling development with the expansion of regional resort infrastructure.
Five Territories Selected for Potential Gambling Development
The government has identified five separate territories across the three regions.
Two are located in the Markakol district of East Kazakhstan. Zhetysu has one designated territory near Lake Alakol in Akshi, where casinos, gaming halls, betting clubs and totalisators can potentially operate.
Another two areas have been designated along the Caspian coast in Mangystau, covering both coastal and inland territory.
The locations have been mapped out by local authorities, but their designation does not automatically mean gambling projects can begin.
Investors and developers will still need to obtain the necessary regulatory, investment and construction approvals before any facilities can be built or operated.
A Gambling Model Designed Around Foreign Visitors
One of the most notable elements of Kazakhstan’s approach is the possibility of restricting access to certain new gambling zones for citizens of Kazakhstan.
Rather than expanding domestic gambling opportunities, the model is intended to use casino and betting infrastructure as part of a tourism proposition aimed at international visitors.
The government sees the designated areas as potential drivers of resort development, with foreign guests and investment brought into regions that are also being developed as tourism destinations.
However, the resolution does not specify which individual territories will ultimately operate under the foreign-only model. Those conditions will form part of the framework governing future developments.
Gambling Zones Still Need Investors
The new designation should therefore be viewed as a development framework rather than an immediate green light for casinos.
Projects within the approved boundaries will still have to pass the relevant regulatory, investment and building procedures. Only after those requirements are met can actual gambling infrastructure move forward.
That leaves the next stage largely dependent on whether investors are prepared to develop resorts and gambling facilities in the designated locations.
Tourism Becomes Central to Kazakhstan’s Gambling Strategy
The decision marks another step in Kazakhstan’s effort to connect gambling with tourism and regional investment, rather than treating gaming venues as standalone developments.
Lake Alakol, the Caspian coast and East Kazakhstan offer different tourism propositions, giving potential investors several settings in which to develop resort-based gambling projects.
With the new framework taking effect on September 11, the geographical boundaries and access conditions are now being established. The next question will be whether those designated territories can attract the investment needed to turn Kazakhstan’s planned gambling zones into functioning tourism destinations.