Uzbekistan gambling legalisation in doubt

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has withdrawn his support for a decree that would create a national framework for legal betting.

Uzbekistan.- Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the president of Uzbekistan, has reportedly rowed back on supporting a decree that would create a national framework for legalised betting in the country. Local media say he no longer backs the move to establish federal legislation for sportsbooks and sweepstakes. 

Mirziyoyev, who leads the O’ZLIDEP party, had said back in 2019 that he would support a party promise to legalise sports betting under strict government controls after consultation with Muslim leaders. The idea was to launch the market this year and for tax revenues from sector to fund the advancement of the professional football league in Uzbekistan in a bid to qualify for a World Cup for the first time.

Full details of the plans were never made public, but it was reported that the party planned to create legal betting areas in the city of Muynak in the north, with betting shops permitted in specified resorts and shopping centres

However, the office of the president has now advised media that the decree no longer stands and that the government now intends to launch a campaign against the unlicensed gambling market.

The move comes after both Armenia and Georgia signalled tougher stances on gambling. The Armenian parliament is debating a bill presented by the ruling Civil Contract bloc that would ban gambling with cash, including through payment terminals. Meanwhile, Georgia