Kazakhstan dismisses two officials over gambling violations

Two government officials in Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu region have been dismissed for violating the country’s anti-corruption and civil service regulations by repeatedly engaging in gambling, the regional prosecutor’s office said.

The dismissals followed an investigation by the Koksu District Prosecutor’s Office into measures to prevent gambling addiction and compliance with ethical standards among civil servants.

Investigators found that several employees had regularly placed bets with bookmakers using their smartphones. The total amount deposited into their gambling accounts exceeded 7.7 million Kazakh tenge.

“The Disciplinary Commission has dismissed two officials from their posts, one of whom is the head of the district department with over 20 years’ service,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Kazakhstan introduced a ban on gambling for civil servants in September 2024 as part of measures aimed at strengthening ethical and anti-corruption standards in the public sector. Violating the restriction can result in dismissal.