Casinos banned in Azerbaijan
The ban lasted 27 years.
Source: Oxu.az, 08.07.2025; JAMnews, 27.05.2025
Project Timeline
Home ♦ Timeline
From Ban to Construction
How It Unfolded
Every step comes with a date and source. Where a source is commercial or it's only a statement, we say so.
Emin Agalarov publicly announces his wish to open a casino at Sea Breeze
The project's first public mention.
Source: JAMnews, 27.05.2025The bill is discussed in a Milli Majlis committee
Artificial plots only, 21+, a state fee of 340 000 manat.
Source: Sputnik Azerbaijan, 21.06.2025The Milli Majlis passes the casino law
Casinos are allowed only on artificial land plots in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian; virtual (online) gambling is banned; the age limit is 21; a license from the authorized body is required.
Source: Oxu.az, 08.07.2025; Yogonet, 10.07.2025; Abzas, 07.2025“The biggest casino in Europe on our HalfMoon peninsula”
Emin Agalarov's statement on his own channel. The location: the Halfmoon peninsula; 2026 footage shows construction on the shore next to it.
Source: EminOfficial, YouTube, 26.08.2025“Potential opening of a casino” — in the resort's official news
Called a strategic direction; no timelines.
Source: official Sea Breeze news on six hotel brands (per project inventory sb-089)The first official “Casino Sea Breeze” video
Sea Breeze Real Estate channel, CC BY license.
Source: Sea Breeze Real Estate, YouTube, 07.01.2026The name “Royalé Casino” sticks
The video “Royalé Casino at Sea Breeze” on the official channel; the @royalecasino.az tag appears in Emin Agalarov's captions from June 2026.
Source: Sea Breeze Real Estate, YouTube, 28.03.2026The casino as a master-plan landmark
Official news of the agreement with Raffle Group and Accor: Swissôtel and the residences are located “next to the Casino, HalfMoon and Dream Arena.”
Source: official Sea Breeze news, 01.04.2026Project Specs in the Press
Over 90 000 m², more than 100 tables, more than 1 500 slot machines, a 40 m ceiling, 10 branded hotels, a concert hall. No opening date.
Source: News.az, 27.04.2026 (updated 15.09.2026)Agalarov at SPIEF 2026
“After the law on integrating the gaming industry is passed, a 90 thousand sq m casino is planned.” In the same speech: Halfmoon is 50 ha, Dream Arena after expansion will hold 50 000, and Venetian Harbour will open “next summer.”
Source: Trend.az and day.az, 04.06.2026A realtor's video: “the casino's current look”
Indirect confirmation that construction is underway: the video is literally titled “SEA BREEZE KAZİNONUN HAZIRKİ GÖRÜNTÜSÜ.”
Source: Best Home MMC, YouTube, 12.08.2026 — a commercial source, not an official oneThe official video “Royalé Casino — the future center of attraction on the coast”
Construction footage on the official channel.
Source: Sea Breeze Real Estate, YouTube, 23.08.2026, CC BYTwo official videos from the site with a “COMING SOON” card
A drone over the frame: the colonnade, tower cranes, concrete mixers; inside, scaffolding, formwork and sculptures being installed. Still no opening date.
Source: Sea Breeze Real Estate, YouTube, 03.09.2026 and 04.09.2026, CC BY“Royalé Casino at Sea Breeze: the resort's new point of attraction”
The most recent official material on the project found as of 20.09.2026.
Source: Sea Breeze Real Estate, YouTube, 11.09.2026, CC BYTimeline
Delays
No postponements on record
No source in 2024–2026 named an opening date, so there was nothing to postpone. The only movement has been from “we want to build it” (10.2024) to “we're building it” (08–09.2026).
Checked on September 20, 2026.
Disputed
Where the Sources Disagree
Open or Not
♦ The “infrastructure” section of Sea Breeze's official website describes the casino in the present tense, as part of the resort's infrastructure.
♦ The same site's “investments” section, Trend.az (04.06.2026) and News.az (27.04.2026) describe the casino as a plan and a construction project.
No source has footage of a working casino; all 2026 footage is of construction. We treat the venue as under construction.
Where Exactly It's Being Built
♦ Emin Agalarov, 26.08.2025 (YouTube): “We want to build the biggest Casino in Europe on our HalfMoon peninsula.”
♦ The project map and 2026 footage show construction on the shore next to the reclaimed crescent, not on the crescent itself.
There's no official address. The map point is approximate.
Is Another Law Needed
♦ News.az (27.04.2026, updated 15.09.2026) writes that the project requires a change in legislation and that casinos have been banned in Azerbaijan since 1998.
♦ The Milli Majlis passed the casino law on 08.07.2025 — nearly a year before that article.
Most likely the legal section of the News.az article wasn't updated. We give both versions.
