Best Uzbekistan Betting Sites

Uzbekistan is a country in Central Asia with a rich cultural heritage. It lies mainly between two major rivers, the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) to the northeast and the Amu Darya (ancient Oxus River) to the southwest. Originally part of the Soviet Union in 1924, it eventually declared independence in 1991. Uzbeks are huge football and wrestling fans.

A unique and popular Asian sport that originates in the country is Kurash, a form of upright wrestling. All forms of gambling are prohibited, with only one fundamental law voted in 2007 and several presidential decrees. The last in 2019 was planned to regulate the market by the end of 2021, but that did not happen either. Needless to say, there are no legal betting sites in Uzbekistan. However, players bet online on international sportsbooks that accept Uzbeks without risking a fine by the government.

Best Betting Sites in Uzbekistan

If you are looking for the top Uzbekistan bookmakers, you are in the right place. Aside from excelling in odds, markets & bonuses, we also evaluated the availability of the Russian language and the UZS currency.

Gambling in Uzbekistan - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  There is a complete prohibition on all forms of gambling
• 2
  There is a state-owned lottery for players 18 and above
• 3
  Online sports betting is typically illegal, but players do not face prosecutions
• 4
  Online gambling winnings are not subject to tax
• 5
  Local authorities do not actively block international bookmakers

General info

⏩Population: 34.588.900

⏩Active players: 7.000.000

⏩Currency: Uzbek som (UZS)

⏩Regulated gambling products: No form of gambling is allowed

⏩Designated authority: No designated gambling authority

⏩Operator types: Non-licensed online bookmakers and casinos, land-based state lottery

⏩Status: Prohibited

Is Online Gambling Legal in Uzbekistan

After the country’s independence, land-based gambling gradually became illegal. The government even implemented a ban on billiards in 2002. In 2007, the primary gambling law in Uzbekistan, “About measures on further regulation of the organisation and carrying out gambling games”, came into effect.

It states that all forms of gambling are illegal, including online sports betting. Not to mention that the penalty for running an illegal gambling operation equals up to 5 years imprisonment. A land-based state lottery organised by the Joint-Stock Commercial People's Bank for players 18 and above is still the only legal form of gambling.

Since the local laws are stringent, no licensed Uzbekistan betting sites are active in the market. However, most international online bookies do not face any legal actions for a couple of reasons. The primary one is the lack of technical infrastructure in the Ministry of Finance, which monitors illegal gambling activities.

The second most important one is the government’s plan to regulate the online betting environment and benefit from the tax revenue. More specifically, it issued a presidential decree in 2019 in this direction.

What you should know about Uzbek bookmakers

A very important parameter regarding Uzbekistan gambling is that even if it is strictly forbidden, you can easily do a manoeuvre and, as already stated above, bet online on international sportsbooks. Since there is a complete lack of law implementation, most of them accept Uzbeks.

Indeed, in Uzbekistan, betting taxes are simply non-existent. However, if there is a market regulation, after all, that might change, and taxes could apply. Until then, you should be aware that you have no protection by the legislation in case of a dispute with a shady online bookie. It is more than crucial to do your research and choose to bet on well-established international bookies.

Uzbekistan Betting: How to Deposit at Online Bookies

Locals have various payment methods available since online sports betting in Uzbekistan is not strictly monitored. An important factor is the availability of the local currency. For example, UZS payments 1xBet will save you from banking and conversion fees on that bookie.

The most common are credit/debit cards and wallets such as WebMoney, Qiwi, Perfect Money, Jeton, ecoPayz, and Sticpay betting, alongside local payments like UzCard, Humo, and UzCash. For your convenience, we would strongly recommend using wallets for your transactions, as the authorities might track card payments. Cryptocurrencies also work stealthily, and more and more sportsbooks accept them.

Gambling Laws in Nearby Regions

Since online gambling is illegal in Uzbekistan, you may want to find alternatives. By examining the laws and regulations in neighbouring countries, you can locate useful opportunities. Underneath, we offer you a list of the top options to examine: 

⏩ Best Kazakhstan Betting Sites

⏩ Top Kyrgyzstan Betting Sites

⏩ Best Tajikistan Bookmakers 

⏩ Top Turkmenistan Betting Sites

Should you Wager on Sports Betting in Uzbekistan

There is a specific government plan regarding regulating the Uzbekistan sports betting sector. It became pretty clear in 2019 with the issuing of the presidential decree "On measures to bring the football development in Uzbekistan to a new level".

That decree stated that the online sports betting market would become regulated so that the state could benefit from taxation, invest in football and sports facilities, and fight the online gambling black market. The legislation was expected to come into effect before 2022, but it has been delayed.

Until there is a tangible change in legislation, your best guess is to keep playing on your favourite international betting sites in Uzbekistan. No repercussions on players have ever been reported, and the most you could do is use a VPN to bypass a possible block. Even if some licensed bookies appear in the future, they will likely have a much inferior product compared to non-regulated ones.