Kazakhstan has conducted socio-economic studies in several regions to assess the potential creation of gambling zones accessible exclusively to foreign citizens as part of tourism sector development, QazMonitor reports, citing the press service of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
According to international experience, gambling zones operating only for foreign visitors in some countries serve as an additional driver for attracting tourists and developing resort infrastructure, without having a direct impact on the domestic social environment.
The study found that in the Mangystau region, 46% of residents support the opening of casinos for foreign tourists. Economic projections indicate that by 2029, the region could attract up to 148,000 foreign visitors. This is expected to create around 7,000 permanent jobs and generate 1.2 billion tenge in tax revenues.
In the Jetisu Region, 67% of respondents expressed no objection to the construction of casinos intended exclusively for foreigners. Forecasts suggest that by 2029, the region could attract up to 36,000 foreign tourists annually, resulting in the creation of approximately 700 jobs and annual tax revenues of 2.4 billion tenge.
In the Almaty region, 54.5% of respondents supported the establishment of gambling zones with restricted access for Kazakhstani citizens. According to economic analysis, the number of foreign tourists is expected to reach 22,810 by 2030, while two gambling zones could generate 6.5 billion tenge in tax revenues by 2028 and create around 2,000 permanent jobs.
