Uzbekistan Opens Gaming Market: GLI Achieves Official Certification

The gambling market in Central Asia is currently undergoing a significant transformation. Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) announced on Tuesday that the company has been officially listed by the Uzbek regulatory authority. The National Agency of Perspective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NAPP) now accepts the testing and certification reports of the laboratory. This is a crucial step for international companies looking to legally offer their products in the Uzbek market. The authorities in Tashkent aim to ensure that the sector grows in a controlled and sustainable manner.

The market is currently in an exciting transitional phase. While the basic structures are in place, the first approvals have already been granted. A total of four licenses have been issued to two different operators. This shows that regulated operations are already starting, even though details of the technical framework are still being fine-tuned. The collaboration between GLI and NAPP aims to establish international standards in a market that was previously largely unregulated.

Numbers and facts

A central point of the current development is the speed of market opening. In Uzbekistan, four licenses have already been issued to two operators. This forms the basis for the operational phase. GLI brings its global experience from numerous regulated markets to support NAPP in shaping technical requirements. This month, leaders from both organizations met to discuss strategic alignment and long-term support for market growth. As parts of the technical framework are still under development, GLI remains in active dialogue with the Uzbek authority.

"Uzbekistan is on track to become a key regulated market in Central Asia and GLI is proud to be named among the first testing laboratories whose certification reports are accepted under the new framework." - Lucas Zavarise, Government & Regulatory Affairs Manager – EMEIA at GLI

Background

Uzbekistan's decision to regulate the gambling market and rely on certified laboratories like GLI is part of a broader economic opening. NAPP serves as the central control body. The goal is to push back the illegal market and replace it with a licensed system. By recognizing globally active testing institutes, the government ensures that providers' software is fair, secure, and protected against manipulation. This builds trust among players and ensures predictable tax revenue for the state. The Central Asian region is considered a growth market by experts, with Uzbekistan potentially taking a pioneering role in regulatory modernization.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, the regulation in Uzbekistan has no direct impact on their daily gaming experience. In Germany, the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021) remains the authoritative legal basis. German customers are only allowed to play at providers listed on the official whitelist of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL). These casinos are subject to strict rules, such as the deposit limit of 1,000 euros per month and the stake limit of 1 euro per spin on virtual slot machines. Additionally, all player data is synchronized in the central LUGAS system to ensure player protection. However, developments in Uzbekistan show that the global trend is increasingly moving toward strict state supervision, similar to what Germany is already practicing with the GGL.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

German GGL-licensed casinos benefit indirectly from global standardization through companies like GLI. When large testing laboratories enforce similar security standards worldwide, the long-term costs for software adjustments decrease. A provider licensed in Germany often uses the same technical foundations now required in Uzbekistan. Nevertheless, German operators must note that local requirements for player protection, such as connection to OASIS and compliance with strict advertising guidelines, are among the toughest in the world. The market entry of international firms in Uzbekistan under GLI testing underscores the importance of transparency and fairness, which are also the cornerstones of licensing by the GGL in the German market.