BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed into law a controversial bill that legalizes casinos, which have been outlawed in the Central Asian nation for a decade.
According to the law endorsed by Japarov on June 30, only foreigners who are at least 21 years of age and have no health problems, will be allowed into the casinos.
The law also says that casinos cannot be set up in residential buildings, kindergartens, schools, universities, education and culture centers, medical institutions, and religious sites.
Many people in Kyrgyzstan oppose legalizing casinos, a move initiated by Japarov last year.
Several rallies protesting the reopening of casinos have been held in Bishkek and the country's second largest city, Osh, in recent days.
The protesters said the bill was approved without adequate public discussion and therefore should be withdrawn. They also raised concerns that even though casinos will be open to foreigners only, Kyrgyz citizens will end up being clients as well.
Lawmakers approved the bill on June 22 after voting was disrupted four times due to the refusal of many lawmakers to take part in the proceedings.
Casinos were banned in Kyrgyzstan in 2012. Since then, numerous underground casinos have been uncovered by law enforcement in Bishkek, Osh, and other towns and cities.
Japarov has insisted that the move to legalize casinos will help tackle the economic hardships the former Soviet republic has faced for decades.