Online Casinos in Uzbekistan in 2026: Who Received the First Licenses and How the Market is Now Regulated

Uzbekistan has legalized not only betting but also online casinos — and it happened simultaneously

For a long time, it may have seemed that the gambling reform in Uzbekistan primarily concerned bookmaker activities. Sports betting was most often mentioned in news and industry publications.

In practice, the legislation has covered a much broader market from the very beginning.

The Presidential Decree No. UP-68 of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 19, 2024, provided for the organization of not only sports betting but also risk-based games online.

In fact, this category includes online casinos, including slot machines, roulette, card games, and other products whose outcomes are determined by a gaming system or random number generator.

On July 31, 2026, this part of the reform began to operate in practice for the first time. NAPP issued the first licenses to two companies, each receiving two permits: one for bookmaker activities and one for organizing risk-based games online.

Thus, the legal betting market and the legal online casino market effectively launched on the same day.

In Brief

Timeline of Changes

Who Received the First Online Casino Licenses

Contrary to assumptions that only one large international bookmaker would become the first licensee, two companies received permits simultaneously.

Both pairs of licenses were issued on July 31, 2026, and are valid until July 30, 2031.

Thus, the validity period of each permit is five years.

Olimpbet: International Brand with Local Structure

Olimpbet is known as a regional bookmaker brand with experience in regulated markets in Kazakhstan and Russia.

However, a foreign legal entity could not directly obtain a license in Uzbekistan.

To enter the market, the operator used a local resident company that complies with Uzbek legislation, operates through the domain olimpbet.uz, and is obligated to meet NAPP requirements.

Thus, the international origin of the brand does not negate the local legal status of the operator.

Aurum Vale: The First Local Market Participant

The second licensee, Aurum Vale, deserves special attention.

This is not an international group but a local Uzbek company registered in the Bektemir district of Tashkent in July 2025.

Its project operates under the domain oltinbet.uz.

According to available information, the sole founder of the company is a citizen of Uzbekistan.

This example shows that licensing can be achieved not only by large international brands.

A local company with sufficient capital, technical infrastructure, and readiness to meet regulatory requirements can also become a full-fledged market participant.

Online Casino and Bookmaker: What is the Legal Difference

Despite both licenses being issued by the same regulator, legally, they pertain to two different types of activities.

Before the 2024 reform, online casinos did not exist in the legal framework of Uzbekistan.

Users could only turn to foreign platforms that were outside national jurisdiction and not controlled by NAPP.

The new licensing system has created the opportunity for the emergence of an internal, state-regulated online casino market for the first time.

Who Regulates the Market

The National Agency for Prospective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan is responsible for licensing and oversight.

NAPP performs several key functions:

• accepts applications from potential operators;
• verifies compliance with licensing requirements;
• issues BF and ITO licenses;
• maintains a public electronic registry;
• controls compliance with capital and reserve fund requirements;
• monitors the implementation of player identification rules;
• oversees the operation of technical infrastructure;
• interacts with financial monitoring authorities;
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• may take measures against operators violating the law.

The current status of a specific platform can be checked by the player through the official register of NAPP.

Requirements for Operators

Obtaining a license is not limited to registering a website or creating a local legal entity.

The operator is required to meet a set of financial, technical, and organizational requirements.

• Be a legal entity — a resident of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
• Form the necessary charter capital.
• Create a reserve fund to cover winnings and financial obligations.
• Place servers and the electronic platform in accordance with the requirements of the law.
• Ensure identification and verification of users.
• Implement AML and KYC procedures.
• Ensure the protection of personal data.
• Control the participation of individuals for whom gambling is prohibited by law.
• Use responsible gaming and self-restriction tools.
• Provide the regulator with the necessary reporting.

Capital of the First Operators

Both of the first licensees formed a charter capital that significantly exceeds the minimum threshold required to enter the market.

Such amounts indicate that the regulatory market is initially designed for financially stable operators capable of covering large payouts and maintaining a complex technical infrastructure.

Cost of the License

To obtain each permit, the operator must pay a state fee of 500 basic calculation units.

At the time of issuing the first licenses, this corresponded to approximately 206 million sums for one permit.

Since the first operators received two licenses each — BF and ITO — each company had to pay two separate fees.

What This Means for Players

The main practical conclusion is that from July 31, 2026, two licensed platforms operate in Uzbekistan, each of which can offer both sports betting and online casino games.

For the user, licensed status means:

• the presence of a mandatory reserve fund;
• state control of the operator's activities;
• mandatory user identification;
• the ability to verify the license through the NAPP register;
• the ability to contact the regulator in case of serious disputes;
• operation through local payment methods;
• compliance with personal data protection requirements;
• use of responsible gaming tools;
• a clearer tax and legal regime.

However, having a license does not guarantee that the player will make a profit.

Gambling still carries the risk of losing funds. The license regulates the operator's operations but does not eliminate the mathematical advantage of the casino.

Tax on Winnings

In the current model, the main tax burden is placed on the licensed operator.

Player winnings obtained from a legal platform are exempt from personal income tax.

At the same time, the bookmaker or online casino pays the taxes prescribed by law from its activities.

Legal Platform vs Offshore

Any other platform not included in the NAPP register remains outside Uzbek jurisdiction.

In case of payment delays, account blocking, or other disputes, local government authorities will not be able to provide the same level of protection as when dealing with a licensed operator.

What Comes Next

The emergence of the first two operators only marks the beginning of the formation of a regulated market.

If the new model shows resilience, further expectations may include:

• the appearance of new applications for BF and ITO licenses;
• the entry of other international brands;
• the emergence of new local Uzbek projects;
• increased competition for players;
• expansion of local payment integrations;
• development of bonus and loyalty programs;
• higher requirements for responsible gaming;
• further restrictions on offshore platforms.

At the same time, the regulator will likely closely evaluate the initial results of operations: market volume, tax revenues, compliance with requirements, and the impact of gambling on users.

Conclusion

July 31, 2026, became a starting point for the legal online casino market in Uzbekistan.

If previously users could only turn to foreign platforms operating outside the national jurisdiction, now the country has two first licensed operators: Olimpbet and Aurum Vale.

Both companies received not only BF betting licenses but also separate ITO permits for organizing risk-based games online.

This confirms that the state has legalized two parallel directions: sports betting and online casinos.

For players, the main change is the emergence of platforms operating through local legal entities, a mandatory reserve fund, national payment systems, and state oversight by NAPP.

At the same time, any websites not included in the official register remain outside Uzbek jurisdiction and do not provide the same level of legal protection.

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