In Kazakhstan, there is a proposal to equate lotteries with gambling. Meruert Kabylbayeva, the head of the Center for Private Legislation at the Institute of Parliamentarism under the Administration of Presidential Affairs, commented on the initiative.
The expert emphasizes that in recent years, the issue of gambling addiction has become an acute social problem in Kazakhstan. Gambling addiction not only affects the mental well-being of gamblers but also has a detrimental impact on the financial stability of their families, ultimately causing harm to society and the economy.
Mazhilis deputies have initiated a bill addressing issues related to gambling and lottery activities, entrusting the development of this document to the Institute of Parliamentarism.
The Institute of Parliamentarism proposes a key legislative change, suggesting the recognition of specific types of lotteries as gambling. Meruert Kabylbayeva highlights that the current legislation in this area contains certain contradictions.
The Institute of Parliamentarism asserts the need to establish a comprehensive procedure for the sale of lottery tickets through legislation.
In an effort to curb the proliferation of gambling addiction through instant lotteries, experts from the Institute of Parliamentarism suggest implementing a ban on their distribution through the Internet and lottery terminals. A similar ban was introduced in neighboring Russia in 2019.
Furthermore, experts propose restricting the distribution of lottery tickets to curtail citizens’ 24/7 access to lottery participation, thereby preventing the occurrence of severe cases of gambling addiction.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, about one million people purchase lottery tickets every year, with the total turnover of lottery operators reaching 356 billion tenge (790 mln USD).
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel!
