Kazakhstan Introduces Alimony Collection from Bookmaker Winnings

In a bid to address defaulters' obligations, Kazakhstan's authorities have implemented a novel approach to alimony collection. Now, individuals failing to meet their alimony payments will have funds deducted directly from their bookmaker winnings. According to Talgat Uali, an official representative of the Ministry of Justice, this initiative expands the scope of existing legislation, which previously only allowed for deductions from salary accounts.

Uali explained, "We have introduced an additional mechanism whereby income from various sources will be targeted, not just salaries. This includes earnings from electronic wallets, bookmaking companies, stock trading, securities, cryptocurrency transactions, and network marketing."

Reports from Nur.kz indicate that approximately 15,000 Kazakhstani citizens have been barred from leaving the country due to outstanding alimony payments, while over 6,000 individuals have faced administrative penalties for non-compliance.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the need to combat gambling addiction in Kazakhstan, acknowledging its prevalence among citizens. Efforts to address the issue include proposed legislation to ban bookmaker advertising, while online casinos have already been prohibited in the country.