BAKU, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan's parliament on Tuesday approved legislation allowing the establishment of casinos on artificial islands in the country's sector of the Caspian Sea, lifting a decades-long ban on gambling, the country's Report News Agency said.
The bill, passed in its third reading during an extraordinary session of the parliament, provides a legal framework for entrepreneurial activity on man-made islands, including the operation of casinos. Lawmakers said the amendments to existing laws aim to attract investment and boost economic development in the offshore zone.
The move builds on a law adopted on May 7, 2024 that set the rules for the creation and use of artificial islands in the Caspian Sea. Under the new legislation, gambling will remain prohibited throughout Azerbaijan, except on these specially designated islands and only in strict accordance with national regulations.
Gambling has been banned in Azerbaijan since 1998. ■
