Introduction to the scandal: MP Bakytzhan Bazarbek against the ESU system
Suspicious amendments in the “On Offenses” draft law
Accusations of lobbying foreign companies’ interests
Political resonance and deleted social media posts
Threats to Kazakhstan’s national security and economy
Intra-committee maneuvers and opacity of decisions
1. Introduction to the scandal: MP Bakytzhan Bazarbek against the ESU system
A new scandal has erupted in Kazakhstan’s political landscape that could shock the public. MP Bakytzhan Bazarbek of the Mazhilis publicly revealed that billions of tenge could be channeled out of the country through the creation of the Unified Accounting System (ESU) in the gambling sector.
Bazarbek sharply criticized colleagues and government officials, accusing them of secretly lobbying the interests of foreign companies, including Russian ones. In his view, the creation of the ESU is not just an administrative measure, but a “financial conduit” for foreign beneficiaries, potentially jeopardizing Kazakhstan’s economy.
The MP emphasized that his statements aim to stop hidden manipulations in a sector traditionally closed to public oversight. His posts on social media, which were later deleted, only heightened suspicions about the scale of internal conflicts within Kazakhstan’s political corps.
During a committee session, Bazarbek drew attention to the unusual inclusion of amendments related to the ESU and the gambling business in the “On Offenses” draft law.
The MP expressed outrage that such a sensitive issue was “sneaked in” under a law clearly unrelated to gambling regulation. Moreover, the amendments were discussed by the Committee on Legislation and Judicial-Legal Reform rather than the relevant committee, which, according to Bazarbek, “casts doubt on the transparency of the process and the interests of its participants.”
He argued that this circumstance indicates that some officials are trying to conceal the real objectives of the ESU and ensure unchecked financial outflows through gambling structures.
Bazarbek did not mince words and openly asked:
“Is the ESU a conduit for a company with foreign beneficiaries?”
He hinted at the possible involvement of Russian business structures, which, through formal legislative changes, attempt to secure a foothold in Kazakhstan’s market using parliament as a tool to legalize capital outflow schemes.
The MP emphasized that such actions pose a direct threat to national security and undermine the country’s economic sovereignty. Within parliamentary circles, such accusations are unprecedentedly loud and provoke serious political resonance.
After Bazarbek published his statements on social media, his posts were quickly removed. This triggered waves of discussion in the media and online communities, where experts speculated that powerful interest groups were trying to silence the MP and hide the exposure.
The deletion of the posts confirms that pressure was applied to the MP and that there is an intent to conceal the scheme’s details from the public.
According to Bazarbek, implementing the ESU without transparent oversight creates a system that could be used to channel massive sums of money abroad and circumvent tax and financial monitoring.
At a time when the state seeks to maintain control over strategically important sectors, creating such schemes represents a serious challenge. The risk that foreign beneficiaries will gain access to Kazakhstan’s financial flows without proper accountability remains extremely high.
Bazarbek also focused on the internal handling of the amendments. In his opinion, including ESU-related issues in the “On Offenses” law is a classic “masking technique” that allows the real intent of the initiative to remain hidden from specialists and the public.
He stated:
“Why are these amendments being discussed by the Committee on Legislation and Judicial-Legal Reform and not the relevant committee?”
This demonstrates that the decision regarding the fate of the ESU was made in a closed format, without proper oversight and public discussion.
Bazarbek’s intervention revealed only the tip of the iceberg of schemes that could have far-reaching consequences for Kazakhstan’s financial and political stability. His actions show that there are MPs willing to confront hidden interests and expose financial manipulations, even when powerful foreign structures are involved.
Profitable Games: How MP Bazarbek Exposed a Scheme to Funnel Billions Through the Gambling Business in Kazakhstan
A new scandal has erupted in the Kazakh political scene, related to the creation of the Unified Accounting System (ESU) for the gambling business. MP Bakytzhan Bazarbek publicly accused his colleagues and the government of lobbying the interests of foreign, particularly Russian, companies, to the detriment of Kazakhstan’s national security and economy.
His loud statements at the committee meeting and posts on social media, which, by the way, were later deleted, reveal the tip of the iceberg of months-long confrontation.
The day lasted and the night “hung in the balance.”
Yesterday, MP Bakytzhan Bazarbek’s post on the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan shook Facebook.
“ESU — is this a conduit for a company with foreign beneficiaries?” — asked the MP in his characteristic straightforward manner.
“Today, at the committee meeting, we discussed as the third item the draft law ‘On Offenses,’ where unknown persons introduced amendments regarding the ESU and the gambling business?”
Bazarbek did not hide his astonishment at the fact that such a delicate issue was “quietly inserted under the draft law on offenses,” and also questioned “why these amendments are being discussed by the Committee on Legislation and Judicial-Legal Reform, rather than the relevant committee.”
Maria Sharapova
