Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan proposes to strengthen the responsibility for participation, organization and advertising of gambling. The department has developed a corresponding bill.

The Ministry of Justice notes that the number of gambling-related cases of administrative violations has increased by 2.3 times since 2019. Their growth is associated with active advertising - especially on the Internet.

At the moment, the legislation of Uzbekistan does not envisage liability for advertising gambling.

In accordance with the document, it is proposed to equate the creation, importation, distribution, demonstration and advertising of products promoting gambling to their organization (Article 278 of the Criminal Code). They will be followed by up to 7 years in prison, and in case of repeated violation or actions of an organized group - up to 10 years.

Violators will be prosecuted for organizing online gambling and distributing software for them.

Advertising gambling in the media or online will be recognized as an administrative offense. The violator will be fined:

individuals - from 50 to 400 sizes of basic estimated value (now 15-120 million soums);

official - from 100 to 450 sizes of basic estimated value (30-135 million soums).

In case of repeated violation, the violator will be held criminally liable. The violator faces a fine of 400 to 600 sizes of basic estimated value, or up to 360 hours of community service, or three years of corrective labor.

The same offense committed by a recidivist or a dangerous recidivist, or by a group of persons by prior agreement, is punishable by 360 to 480 hours of compulsory labor, or by restraint of liberty for a term of one to three years, or by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to three years.

Participation in online gambling, according to proposal, will be a punishable offense. The fine will be from 5 to 10 sizes of basic estimated value. Playing accessories and stakes will be confiscated.