Turkmenistan, the central Asian country located at the crossroad of Afghanistan in the south, Iran in the southwest, Kazakhstan in the northeast, and Uzbekistan in the north, has a very rich history and specific gambling regulation, specifically, sport betting. This article explains the gambling laws in Turkmenistan, including changes in its legislation, licensing costs, taxation, and Turkmenistan Bookmakers presently. Being devoted to the analysis of Turkmenistan bookmakers and sports betting.
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Gambling Law and Legislation
1991: Post-Independence Gambling Legislation
When Turkmenistan became independent from the USSR in 1991, it received no Russian gambling laws as a basis. Hence, lotteries and other types of gambling, which were legal during the soviet rule, were banned at the beginning.
1999: Legalization of Gambling
To open an independent legal web of gambling businesses there including bookmakers and sports betting, Turkmenistan has adopted the Law on Licensing of Some Types of Activity in 1999. This set the tone for the establishment of a state controlled gambling industry.
2016: Online gambling is one of those activities that have attracted controversy through the years, with some countries going ahead to ban it entirely to its citizens.
The Law on Advertising which was passed in 2016 prohibited gambling and online gambling and advertisements concerning gambling. However, this enforcement is still relaxed and players who use foreign gambling websites are not arrested.
Current Gambling Laws and Regulations
Bookmakers Regulatory Agencies
The government structure that provides the main regulation of gambling in Turkmenistan is the Cabinet of Ministers. The agency is responsible for:
- Issue licenses
- Licenses meet all legal requirements.
- Reregister licenses
- License records for issued licenses.
Gambling Licenses and Fees
Businesses must have a license to carry out bookmaking activities in Turkmenistan area. Some of the documents which are required include legal form of the business, bank details, and certificates that prove the state registration. Here are the key points regarding licensing:
- Application Requirements: These are name, its legal form, and banks with which the enterprise cooperates.
- Certification: Original and copy of the state registration certificates legalized by a notary
- Specific Documentation: Thus, depending on the type of activity to be performed, there might be specific documents beyond the foregoing.
Prohibited and Allowed Bets
Since 2016, online betting in the sense of remote gambling and from bookmakers is still officially prohibited despite physical betting being legal if regulated. But this law is not strictly complied with and many Turkmen players freely obtain foreign sites without legal consequences. They include the advertisements of lottery, betting and any other related products as prohibited under the same regulation.
Gambling Taxes of Turkmenistan Bookmakers
The particular taxes concerning gambling operations are established in Turkmenistan Tax Code concerning The state taxation of gambling activities. Here are the applicable taxes:
- Gaming Machines: Day use: 30 Turkmenistan manat (€ 8).
- Tables (Pay-Table): The currency of Turkmenistan is Turkmenistan manat, and the price is 370 Turkmenistan manat/day which equals to €100.
- Seats (Card Games, Bingo, Tournaments): Between 2001 and 2005 the price increased by 3400 Turkmenistan manat and by Turkmenistan manat/day 7 (€2) in the beginning of 2006.
- Gaming Area (per m²): 3 Turkmenistan manat/day (€1)
- Cash Registers: 3,500 Kib/day (around 112. 93 CAN dollars or 85. 34 €).
Also, casino earnings are subjected to a high tax rate of 60% and these include rent and other uses of the property.
Sports Betting in Turkmenistan
Being a part of Central Asian region Turkmenistan also has a product of strong sporting culture of the country, having initial linkages with the horse riding, falconry, and today having an incline towards Football, etc. It had ACCESED to FIFA and AFC in 1994 and had organized many international football championships.
Sporting Milestones
- 1992: This is done under the formation of local leagues known as Ýokary Liga and championships known as Turkmenistan Cup.
- 1994: Due to being a member of FIFA and AFC a country is entitled to participate in the competitions organized by these organizations.
- 2012: Turkmenistan national football team obtains the title of the winner in AFC Challenge Cup
- 2017: Organisation of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
- 2019: On this note, the Asian Beach Games need to be hosted, and this needs to be done in the right manner.
Bookmaker and sports betting landscape
Although there are cultural taboo since the country is majorly Muslims, sports betting is legal and controlled. There are three small casinos, and some betting shops in Sri Lanka which are considered to be generalized casinos of global standard. This limited development is partly because of low tourism and relatively poor economy.
Conclusion
The following discussion outlines how Turkmenistan’s internal values influence its relationship with bookmakers and sports betting along with the current regulation of online betting. Thus, the opportunities for gambling are regulated, while cultural and economic factors restrict the development of the industry. It is important for the market enthusiasts to comprehend these peculiarities in order to be able to effectively work with the sphere of gambling in Turkmenistan.
FAQ of Turkmenistan Bookmakers
Related content