Uzbek blogger involved in gambling advertising placed on wanted list

Uzbek blogger Mahmud Hikmatov, who was active in Kazakhstan, has been placed on an international wanted list on suspicion of promoting illegal online casinos. This was reported by Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency.

According to the investigation, a court ordered the detention of Mahmud Hikmatov, who was born in Uzbekistan in 2000, as a preventive measure.

It was reported that activities aimed at organizing the operation of more than five illegal online gambling establishments in Kazakhstan, processing payments through them, and attracting the country’s citizens to gambling were carried out.

According to the investigation, the organizers collaborated with bloggers to promote these gambling platforms. Hikmatov was tasked with finding influencers active in Kazakhstan and arranging the distribution of promotional materials through them.

According to the Financial Monitoring Agency, the blogger involved more than 35 influencers in the network. Among them was a blogger named Hamza Q.

Investigators said that Hamza Q., who had a large audience, posted referral links leading to online casinos. The blogger was paid a commission for each user who accessed the gambling platforms through these links.