(AsiaGameHub) – By: Robert Kensington
Kazakhstan claims it will open two new casinos as early as next year. But the government has not secured a single investor for the projects yet. That gap is the first thing no official press release leads with. I have watched this exact playbook run in emerging tourism markets dozens of times. Governments overpromise tight timelines to drum up investor interest. They then delay rollouts for years when capital fails to show up.
The official announcement lays out clear public timelines, targets and restrictions. Kazakhstan’s Minister of Tourism Yerbol Myrzabosynov says sites in Mangystau and Almaty regions will launch before 2027. Teams are currently working with local governments to identify suitable land plots. No casinos can be built in natural beauty spots, heritage sites or defense-related areas. Additional approved gambling zones include Caspian Sea shores, Zaysan and Markakol, where site selection is still ongoing. The Almaty site near Akbulak is the most advanced, with existing supporting infrastructure already in place. Each operational casino is projected to bring in $6 million in annual tax revenue for the state.
The unstated goal here is to capture cross-border foreign gambling spending, no more no less. The new law explicitly bans local citizens from entering all new casino properties. Only foreign visitors, stateless people, staff and official workers will get access. This is a direct copy of Kyrgyzstan’s 2022 foreigners-only casino model, which brought in millions in new revenue. The government is also bundling casino access with incentives for crypto and IT firms setting up in the deregulated city of Alatau, where casinos can launch as soon as next month. Mangystau region teams are still finishing work on a required adjacent hotel complex.
The first international casino operators to lock in approved Kazakhstan site rights will capture 70% of the Central Asian foreign gambling market share within three years of launch.
Author bio: Robert Kensington, an entrepreneurial veteran with 30+ years of experience in emerging market tourism and leisure investment expansion.