Azerbaijan Legalizes Casinos in the Caspian Sea Zone
Tania Levees
09 July 2025
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Pictured: Baku, Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijani Parliament has passed a bill in its third reading to legalize casino operations on artificially created land areas in the Caspian Sea, according to Meydan TV.
Lawmakers believe that the establishment of casinos in designated gaming zones will stimulate tourism, increase tax revenues, and create new jobs. Currently, Azerbaijani citizens primarily engage in gambling through foreign online platforms and often travel abroad to visit casinos.
The newly adopted law is also expected to curb the scale of illegal gambling in the country.
Those wishing to open a casino in Azerbaijan will be required to pay an annual licensing fee of 340,000 manats (approximately $300,000).
Entry to casinos will be restricted to individuals aged 21 and older.
Prior to this legislation, the only forms of legal gambling in Azerbaijan were state lotteries and licensed land-based betting shops. Casinos have been banned in the country since 1998.
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