The Uzbekistan government has recently issued a series of significant new regulations intended to comprehensively regulate the domestic gambling and lottery industry, and has imposed strict compliance requirements on foreign legal entities. A series of legal documents targeting gambling organizers were officially released on July 9, 2025, and will come into effect three months later on October 9. These new regulations not only establish strict restrictions on participants in gambling activities but also set high fines for illegal activities, attracting widespread attention in the industry.
Strict prohibition on gambling participation clearly lists eight prohibited groups
The new regulations first clarify that the following individuals will be strictly prohibited from participating in any form of gambling, lottery, or betting activities:
Minors;
Citizens declared by the court to be incapacitated or with limited capacity;
Citizens listed in the unified social protection registry and their immediate family members;
Individuals included in the "Iron Notebook," "Women's Notebook," or "Youth Notebook" of key social groups;
Uzbek military personnel, police, National Guard, prosecutors, and customs system employees;
Security and security department personnel (while on duty);
Employees of the National Prospective Projects Bureau;
Foreign citizens prohibited from participating in gambling by other state authorities.
This regulation demonstrates the Uzbek government's high vigilance over the social impact of the gambling industry and aims to ensure that gambling activities are controlled within a framework of social responsibility through meticulous screening of participants.
High costs for foreign legal entities violating regulations: A single fine can reach up to 5.83 million RMB
According to the "Administrative Responsibility Regulations for Organizing and Conducting Gambling, Lottery, and Betting Activities," if a foreign company engages in gambling, lottery, or other related activities within Uzbekistan or via the internet without permission, it will be fined 25,000 times the base calculation value—approximately 10.3 billion Sum, equivalent to 5.83 million RMB.
Additionally, establishing casinos, opening physical or mobile gaming halls, and other physical gambling venues will also face the same amount of heavy fines.
Moreover, if a company violates regulations related to anti-money laundering, personal data protection, gambling fund flows, and the legality of betting objects, the fine will be 15,000 times the base calculation value (about 3.5 million RMB). Companies that participate in gambling betting through illegal financial channels or illegally place advertisements will also be fined **10,000 times the base calculation value (about 2.33 million RMB)**.
These stringent clauses show that Uzbekistan is restructuring the gambling industry's entry threshold and industry baseline through institutional design, clearly defining a "zero tolerance" for illegal activities.
High minimum capital requirements for gambling companies: Fines linked to "registered capital"
The Uzbek government also stipulates that all gambling or lottery companies must meet the following minimum registered capital thresholds:
Gambling/betting enterprises: 150,000 times the base calculation value (approximately 31.83 million RMB);
Lottery enterprises: 55,000 times the base calculation value (approximately 11.67 million RMB).
This registered capital will serve as the basis for calculating administrative fines. For example, if a company continues to organize gambling activities during a suspension period, operates unapproved projects, or operates illegal casinos, the fine amount will be 1% of the minimum registered capital, approximately 318,000 RMB.
Fines will be uniformly distributed by the state: 50% will be directly submitted to the fiscal budget, and the other 50% will be transferred to a special regulatory account set up by the National Prospective Projects Bureau in commercial banks, used for the construction of the gambling regulatory system and investment in social projects.
Various illegal activities graded: Repeated violations incur heavier penalties
The new regulations also categorize common illegal activities by enterprises, setting detailed penalties for different types of violations. Mainly as follows:
Fines of 1% of registered capital (highest level): Includes continuing to operate gambling during a suspension period, unauthorized organization of unapproved gambling forms, establishment of physical casinos, and foreign platforms providing gambling services within the territory.
Fines of 0.8% of registered capital (repeatedly 1%): Includes using unapproved domain names, appointing key management personnel without permission, illegally processing user personal information, providing gambling services to minors or "blacklisted" individuals, and illegal advertising.
Fines of 0.7% of registered capital (repeatedly 1%): Such as not connecting to the official transaction record system, not reporting transaction or prize data as required, and illegal gambling betting objects (such as youth sports events).
Fines of 0.4% of registered capital (repeatedly 0.8%): Includes not performing customer identity verification, not connecting to the national gambling record system, providing credit to players or collecting illegal funds, exceeding payment limits for prizes, and not redeeming prizes on time.
Fines of 0.1% of registered capital (repeatedly 0.3%): Includes not timely submitting relevant data, company name illegally using words like "national" or "Uzbekistan," and other minor violations.
Additionally, if a company opens gambling services to suspected terrorism financiers, violates the rectification order of the National Prospective Projects Bureau, or fails to implement internal control systems, it will also be fined according to the frequency of violations, with each violation potentially reaching up to 1% of the registered capital.
Compliance suggestions: How should foreign companies respond to the new policy?
For foreign gambling companies planning to enter or already operating in the Uzbek market, the following suggestions are particularly crucial:
Do not attempt to operate without a legal license. The Uzbek government has clearly defined the legal baseline of "license first, operate later," and any attempt to provide gambling services within the territory or online will be considered illegal.
Assess the compliance costs and policy risks of the target market in advance. The new regulations set very high requirements for capital, anti-money laundering, data security, advertising, and customer verification. Foreign companies should establish a dedicated compliance team to study the regulations article by article.
Priority cooperation with local joint venture partners. Given the high regulatory threshold, it is recommended to cooperate with companies that have government resources or local experience through a joint venture approach to reduce market entry barriers.
Pay attention to the dynamics and enforcement trends of regulatory agencies. Especially the National Prospective Projects Bureau, which has a very high leading position in the gambling industry. Its documents, rectification requirements, and license reviews will directly determine the compliance boundaries of enterprises.
Carefully handle the construction of data, payment, and advertising-related systems. From server location, payment channel compliance to advertising platform placement, foreign companies need to comply with mandatory regulations such as "data localization," "real-name payment," and "advertising standards."
Conclusion: Opportunities and risk management coexist, Uzbekistan's new gambling regulations may be the "restructuring year" for the industry
The round of regulation of the gambling industry by Uzbekistan not only sends a signal of "conditional opening" but also reflects a strong will for policy control. If foreign companies can steadily enter under the premise of legal compliance, they may seize the new window brought by the restructuring of the gambling industry in Central Asia.
However, the premise is: absolutely abandon any fluke mentality, and view this emerging market with a rigorous compliance strategy and a long-term investment mindset. For Chinese companies hoping to build a legal and compliant gambling map in Central Asia, Uzbekistan's new regulations are more like a touchstone, determining whether you are excluded or successfully integrated as a "compliant participant."
