Kapshagai Gambling Zone — casino in Kapshagay (Konayev), Almaty Region

Kapshagay (now the city of Konayev) is Kazakhstan's largest gambling cluster, nicknamed the "Kazakh Las Vegas." Since 1 April 2007, gambling venues in the country have been allowed only in two zones, and Kapshagay in the Almaty Region is the main one. The city stands on the shore of the Kapshagay Reservoir on the Ili River, just 70 km from Almaty, easily reached via the A-3 highway. Along an 11-kilometre stretch of road stand about seven casinos — Tornado 777, Bombay, Royal Plaza and others — with more than 600 slot machines and around 150 tables in total. The largest of them is Kazino Tornado 777. By day people come for beach recreation on the "Kazakh sea," and in the evening the casino lights turn the highway into a local Strip. The atmosphere here is more down-to-earth than in Vegas: stakes range from token amounts to 10,000 dollars, and the crowd is made up of locals and tourists from neighbouring countries. For the region, the zone has become the main hub of legal gambling and event tourism.