Hookah business may be legalized in Kazakhstan, bringing billions into the budget

Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan’s hookah business needs to be licensed and brought into the legal field. Minister of Finance Madi Takiyev voiced this position on the sidelines of the Majilis.

What happened

The head of the Minister of Finance commented on a new draft law that proposes easing the ban on hookahs.

“Today, hookahs are banned in Kazakhstan, so it is impossible to calculate their exact number. But we maintain the position that they should be licensed, since they continue to operate anyway,” Madi Takiyev noted.

The minister said that instead of unsuccessfully fighting the sector, it would be more beneficial for the state to legalize it and require hookah lounge owners to pay taxes. The Minister of Finance has already calculated the potential benefit of legalization.

“It is better to collect payments from them into the budget. According to our estimates, additional revenue would amount to around 50 billion tenge,” the official said.