Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region shuts down a drop-scheme processing Vavada players’ funds

The Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM), working with prosecutors, stopped a group in Kazakhstan that accepted and cashed out money for Vavada online casino players. More than 415 million tenge moved through 23 drop accounts, which is the bit PSPs and risk teams will care about: the flow was already operational, organized, and large enough to attract enforcement attention.

1. The scheme operated in Kazakhstan and was tied to Vavada. According to the AFM, the group received and withdrew players’ funds for the online casino, using drop accounts to move the money.
2. More than 415 million tenge passed through 23 drop accounts. In practice, that means the operation was not a one-off mule setup; it had enough volume and account distribution to support continuous payment collection and cash-out activity.
3. The structure started in January 2026 by arrangement with representatives of the casino. One organizer coordinated the group and handled communication with Vavada, while another recruited account owners and operators to process transactions.
4. The operators worked in shifts around the clock from a rented office in Karaganda. For payment teams, that is the part that matters most: this was not just passive account rental, but a staffed operational hub built to keep transfers moving.
5. Two suspects were placed under house arrest, and their property was seized, including a house, two land plots, and a Mercedes-Benz. The case has been sent to court.