Olimpbet becomes Uzbekistan’s first licensed iGaming operator after a 1.5-year delay

Uzbekistan formally opened its local market in 2025, but the first operating permit was issued only 1.5 years later. The license went to Olimpbet, already a leader in neighboring Kazakhstan, and the timing matters because the country’s framework is set up to filter for large operators with local payment and infrastructure capability.

1. Uzbekistan’s market opened in 2025, but the first license did not land until 1.5 years later. In practice, that gap tells you the regime is not designed for quick market entry: the barrier is not just paperwork, but the ability to meet a fairly demanding operating model.
2. The rules cited for effective operation include a charter capital of at least $4.7 mln, a reserve fund of at least $2.3 mln, integration with the tax service, localization of all servers and databases, and the implementation of self-exclusion mechanisms. For PSPs, that combination usually means a narrower pool of eligible merchants and more pressure on local infrastructure and settlement setup.
3. Olimpbet’s official entry also opens up advertising opportunities, including partnerships in any permitted sectors, and financial opportunities through legal use of local payment solutions. That is the part payment providers will care about: once a licensed operator can work inside the local framework, payment access becomes part of the commercial case, not an afterthought.
4. The company already holds a leading position in Kazakhstan, which helps explain why it was the first operator able to clear Uzbekistan’s requirements. The source frames this as a market where only operators with relevant experience and scale can realistically get through the gate.