Kazakhstan online casinos for Real Money

Officially land-based casinos are legal in Kazakhstan. To be deemed so, any business must apply for a gambling license. Even then, gambling is only limited to specific zones and has been so since 2007. Prior to that, gambling was widespread across the country. 

2007’s new laws (the 2007 Gambling Law) made it clear, via passage No. 157-IV, that casinos can only operate in two designated zones, namely Almaty (in Almatinskaya Oblast) and the Shchukin part of Akmola (Akmolinskaya Oblast). This is quite similar to what you’ll see in Russia and isn’t that surprising given the closeness between the two countries. The law also closed down slot halls, meaning that casinos are now the only way you can legally gamble on such games in Kazakhstan. Moreover, we should stress that some casinos are only open to tourists, not residents. What does this mean for online casino gambling, then?

Effectively, online casinos are not legal. However, there isn’t a specific law that makes them illegal. Therefore, Kazakhstan’s online casinos are technically unregulated. We should clarify this. What we mean is that no operators are legally permitted to run an online gambling site in Kazakhstan, and they are not allowed to accept Kazakhstan-based players. However, Kazakhstan’s laws specifically only apply to businesses inside the country. They have no power beyond Kazakhstan’s borders. This opens up opportunities.

It is, therefore, perfectly legal (if unregulated) for foreign casino operators, the so-called offshore casinos, to cater to players in Kazakhstan. They will need to be based outside the country, of course. Kazakhstan does not currently prosecute its players for joining these offshore casinos, effectively giving you free rein to play where you see fit at any online casino that will have you. Again, it is technically illegal for Kazakhs to play online, but not tourists.

It is possible for a gambling business to obtain a Kazakh license and offer its services to residents in the country. However, this is only possible for land-based gambling and in the designated zones, as mentioned above. Those operators are not permitted to provide digital gambling options to players in Kazakhstan. 

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Sport is the authority with the power to license sportsbooks and land-based casinos in the country. Curiously, they do offer a digital casino license issued by the Platform of Electronic Licensing of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This is only valid for online casinos that cater to foreigners, not Kazakh players. We appreciate the irony in banning its own nationals from playing but offering licenses so its casinos can cater to players in other countries. However, that is the way that it is. 

Kazakhstan’s gambling population doesn’t really have a favourite when it comes to online gambling games. We think it is safe to say that Kazakhstan nationals are quite fond of betting on sports, and slots are popular. In fact, slots are so popular in Kazakhstan that slot halls were made illegal, while casinos were not. For that reason, you can expect to see a wealth of slots and table games alike at any Kazakhstan casino you choose to join.

To our knowledge, no major (or even minor) casino software providers come from Kazakhstan. Instead, the types of operators you can find at online casinos catering to Kazakhs tend to be those based elsewhere. You can find major and minor games at your disposal, although the software providers available will depend on the online casino you join.

Kazakhstan’s currency is the tenge. However, if you’re playing at offshore casinos that accept players from Kazakhstan, you’re unlikely to find KZT as an available currency option. It just doesn’t have enough clout to be useful for online casinos. Therefore, many Kazakhstan players tend to prefer depositing using US dollars or Russian roubles. Admittedly, the latter has lost a fair bit of value of late, so US dollars may be the way to go. Alternatively, there are plenty of cryptocurrency casinos you can choose to join, which also accept Kazakh players.

There’s little point in us discussing minimum/maximum deposit and withdrawal limits, or even payment methods, for that matter. As you’re going to be joining offshore casinos, the array of payment options and, indeed, fees, limits and transaction times are going to vary from site to site. It is up to you to decide which options best suit your needs to play at a casino offering those accordingly. 

If you’re based in Kazakhstan and you’re not a Kazakh national, you’re free to play at seemingly any online casino. However, if you are a Kazakhstan national, you’re going to need to sign up for offshore casinos. As touched on, these are those that are based outside of Kazakhstan, and, therefore, Kazakhstan’s laws don’t apply. At present, there are no punishments for playing in this manner. Even so, we’d exercise caution and suggest using a VPN (a virtual private network) to mask your location where possible.

You’ll find a great host of Kazakhstan online casinos that are based offshore and that accept players in your situation right here. Again, we must stress that the laws of Kazakhstan are designed to prevent you from playing, but if you’re going to do so, you are advised to play at one of our trusted and secure sites, as they fall into that sweet spot; that grey-area mentioned earlier.