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How betting shops and gambling will operate in Uzbekistan – key details.

It has been revealed which events citizens will not be able to place bets on.
How betting shops and gambling will operate in Uzbekistan – key details.

In Uzbekistan, activities based on risk gaming and betting will be legalized starting January 1, 2025, as stated in the government decree.

Only legal entities that are residents of Uzbekistan and companies registered within the country will be allowed to conduct such activities.

Organizers will be required to have an electronic platform hosted on servers located in Uzbekistan: all technical resources and data must be stored within the country. Activities can only be conducted using a single domain name in the national segment of the internet.

Engagement is permitted only in those types of activities specified in the license. If necessary, separate licenses can be obtained for each type of activity, including online gaming.

The minimum charter capital at the time of application submission for organizers of online games and betting activities is set at no less than 150,000 BRV (56 billion 250 million sums).

Additionally, organizers of online games and betting activities must establish a reserve fund of at least 75,000 BRV (28 billion 125 million sums). The funds of the reserve must be deposited in a separate account at a commercial bank in Uzbekistan specified by the licensing authority. A bank guarantee or an insurance policy issued by an insurance organization can be provided for this amount.

The fee for reissuing a license for organizing risk-based online gaming and betting activities is 500 BRV (187.5 million sums) at the time of application submission.

Conducting activities related to organizing online games and betting must comply with legal requirements in the following areas:

  • prevention of money laundering obtained through criminal means;
  • combating the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
  • protection of personal data;
  • compliance with advertising legislation.

Moreover, the organization and conduct of the following types of bets are prohibited:

  • on events occurring within Uzbekistan or involving citizens of Uzbekistan (sports games and competitions, political processes, contests, and others), except for sports games and international events held with the participation of spectators, provided that appropriate preparation, oversight, and refereeing are ensured in accordance with the rules of international federations;
  • on sports competitions among children and adolescents.

The licensing authority has the right to impose fines on organizers of online gaming and betting activities for violations of the law, including those related to the prevention of money laundering and financing terrorism.

The amount of the fine should not exceed 1% of the minimum charter capital of the organizer. 50% of the fine will be directed to the account of the licensing authority.

Additionally, 1% of the total funds contributed by players for betting and online games will also be allocated to the account of the licensing authority.