Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has been officially listed by Uzbekistan’s National Agency of Perspective Projects (NAPP) as one of the testing laboratories whose certification reports are accepted by the country’s regulator.

The listing allows gaming operators and suppliers to use GLI certification reports when launching products in Uzbekistan, providing a regulatory route for market entry as the Central Asian country develops its newly regulated gaming sector.

The move comes as Uzbekistan enters the operational phase of its gambling framework. Four licences have now been issued to two operators, according to GLI.

“Uzbekistan is on track to become a key regulated market in Central Asia, and GLI is proud to be named among the first testing laboratories whose certification reports are accepted under the new framework,” Lucas Zavarise, Government & Regulatory Affairs Manager – EMEIA at GLI, said.

“It reflects the depth of regulatory experience we bring to emerging markets,” he added.
 

Uzbekistan begins regulated gambling market

Uzbekistan issued its first gambling licences on 31 July, granting five-year permits to Kazakhstani bookmaker Olimpbet and locally registered operator Aurum Vale, which operates under the Oltinbet brand.

The licences cover bookmaking and the organisation of risk-based games online. They followed more than a year of regulatory development after Uzbekistan legalised online gambling under a law that came into force in January 2025.

The first licences arrived despite an established offshore market. Blask data cited by SiGMA News showed 72 active offshore brands in Uzbekistan over the previous 12 months. In June, 1xBet led the offshore segment with about 20 per cent of search demand share, while Jojobet took the lead in July after its share rose by 213.6 per cent in a month. Neither brand was among the first licensees.

The first legal operators also face restrictions on gambling advertising, limiting the channels available to attract players away from offshore platforms.
 

GLI remains in talks with NAPP

GLI said its listing follows a meeting earlier this month between its representatives and NAPP leadership to discuss the new regulatory framework and how the testing laboratory can support the market. Some parts of Uzbekistan’s technical framework are still being developed. GLI said it remains in dialogue with NAPP as the regulator refines the requirements.

“The NAPP leadership wants to ensure the growth of gaming unfolds in a controlled and sustainable way, and GLI is pleased to apply our global regulatory experience as Uzbekistan and the wider Central Asian gaming market continue to develop,” Zavarise said.

The company’s involvement places testing and certification within the early stages of Uzbekistan’s regulated gaming market, where regulators and operators are establishing the technical and compliance infrastructure needed for legal operations.

GLI provides testing, inspection and certification services across land-based gaming, lotteries and iGaming. The company said it has certified nearly two million items and tested equipment for more than 710 jurisdictions since its establishment in 1989.

 

 

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