Combating Illegal Gambling in Kazakhstan: A Comprehensive Assessment of Regulatory and Socio-Economic Outcomes

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.57017/jaes.v21.4(94).14

Author(s):

Ruslan ABDRAKHMANOV Law Institute of the Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan
Kunduz SABYROVA Law Institute of the Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn Bishkek, Republic of Kyrgyzstan
Nurlan AIKUMBEKOV Adilet Higher School of Law, Caspian Public University, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan
Gulmira NURTAYEVA Adilet Higher School of Law, Caspian Public University, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan
Alisher KOICHIEV National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, Republic of Kyrgyzstan

Abstract:

The aim of this study is to analyse international regulatory approaches to combating illegal gambling and to assess the regulatory, economic, and social outcomes of anti-illegal gambling policy in Kazakhstan. The study applies comparative analysis, economic and statistical analysis, structural and dynamic analysis, relative indicator analysis, index methods, Min–Max normalization, and expert interpretation. An integrated index was developed to monitor the implementation of government policy based on indicators reflecting gambling participation, treatment and rehabilitation coverage, blocking of illegal online resources, and registered criminal offenses.

The results indicate that Kazakhstan has experienced an expansion of the regulated gambling market, a decline in registered criminal cases related to illegal gambling, and broader implementation of preventive regulatory measures, including self-exclusion mechanisms and restrictions for financially vulnerable groups. The proposed integrated index demonstrates a positive trajectory of the policy indicators during the study period and provides a framework for monitoring the implementation of the Government Comprehensive Plan to Combat Illegal Gambling and Ludomania. Since the index combines observed data with official policy targets, projected values should be interpreted as scenario-based policy benchmarks rather than independently verified outcomes.

The study concludes that strengthening digital monitoring, expanding preventive mechanisms, improving financial monitoring, and enhancing international cooperation may further support the implementation of anti-illegal gambling policy. The proposed integrated index can serve as an analytical tool for monitoring regulatory performance and evaluating the progress of public policy in this field.

Copyright© 2026 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article’s History: Received 25th of May, 2026; Revised 9th of July, 2026; Accepted 30th of July, 2026; Available online: 30thof September, 2026. Published as research article in the Volume XXI, Fall, Issue 4(94), 2026.

How to cite:

Abdrakhmanov, R., Sabyrova, K., Aikumbekov, N., Nurtayeva, G., & Koichiev, A. (2026). Combating Illegal Gambling in Kazakhstan: A Comprehensive Assessment of Regulatory and Socio-Economic Outcomes. Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Volume XXI, Fall, 4(94), 1375 – 1392. https://doi.org/10.57017/jaes.v21.4(94).14

CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement: Abdrakhmanov, R. and Sabyrova, K. contributed to the conceptualization of the study, research design, and formulation of the theoretical framework. Aikumbekov, N. and Nurtayeva, G. were responsible for data collection, data curation, and preliminary statistical analysis. Koichiev, A. contributed to the methodological design, econometric modelling, and interpretation of empirical results. All authors contributed to the validation of results, literature review, and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors participated in drafting the manuscript, provided substantial intellectual input, reviewed and approved the final version, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Conflict of Interest Statement: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement: The data used in this study are derived from publicly available official statistics, government reports, and institutional records of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The sources are identified in the manuscript and reference list. Data generated through the authors’ calculations, including the market legalisation coefficient and the Integrated Anti-Illegal Gambling Policy Monitoring Index (IAGPMI), are derived from these publicly available sources.

Ethical Approval Statement: Ethical approval was not required for this study because it relies exclusively on aggregated secondary data obtained from publicly available statistical, governmental, and institutional sources. The research did not involve human participants, personal or identifiable data, clinical records, surveys, interviews, or experimental interventions.

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