Uzbekistan Set to Launch National Lottery

Uzbekistan is not a land known for its gambling market and the large nation is yearning for more winning choice.

While the Minister of Finance has approved licences for banks to run a few small lotteries like Omad lotto and Sharqona lotto, as well as instant games like Omad qushi, Oltin baliq and Besh karra besh, this really doesn't give the nation of around 33 million much choice when it comes to games of chance.

The country is predominantly Islamic which makes the lack of gambling options unsurprising. However, recent years have seen changes in the market that indicate positive moves towards a greater range of options being made available in the future.

 A Move into the Future

In 2002, the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved the bill "On Measures to Improve the Organization of Money-Lotteries" and authorized the Joint-Stock Commercial People's Bank to organize and carry out lotto games in Uzbekistan.

Now, 18 years later, the government has moved to appoint a singular lottery operator for the country.

In order to do so, the government has formed a committee to select a lottery operator and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has appointed the Capital Development Agency to facilitate the process.

 Collaborative Efforts

Various ministries have been asked for their input. Feedback from Trade, Treasury, Foreign Investment, Sport, Health, Law and the Olympic Committee has been collated to "define the main tasks in the field of lottery organization."

The idea behind this collaborative effort is that 60% of lottery profits are to be used to fund socially significant projects. The contributions from these ministries, where they have shared ideas as to how risk-based games could be regulated through modern technology, will ultimately be the benefactors.

The next step in the process is for the committee to decide on the basic requirements for a lottery operator before inviting applications from prospective role-players.

 Gambling Groans

Given how long it has taken for the country to get to this point, it is unlikely we will see any dynamic changes in the near future. While Uzbekistan doesn't actively prevent online operators from approaching residents, most of the deeply devout community rejects games of chance on principle.

The Quran often condemns gambling and alcohol together in the same verse as it recognizes both as an addictive social disease that destroys families.

However, given the relative success of the lotteries that have been made available in recent years, there is a chance that the regulation of a national lottery will indicate positive progress in the future.

Licensed and regulated national lotteries have often generated much-needed tax revenues for countries and benefited non-profit and socially conscious organizations through the raising of funding.