Casino Streamer Mellstroy Located by Cyprus Police in Kazakhstan Case

The legal situation surrounding controversial gambling streamer Andrey Burim, widely known as Mellstroy, is intensifying. In a video released on September 30, 2026, the streamer announced that police in the Republic of Cyprus had located him. This development is directly linked to an ongoing criminal case in Kazakhstan, where Burim is wanted for organizing illegal gambling and aggressive promotional campaigns. However, his current legal status remains murky, as official confirmations of an arrest from Cypriot authorities or the Kazakhstan Financial Monitoring Agency (AFM) are still pending.

Burim, a Belarusian citizen, has been residing in Cyprus since late 2025, claiming at the time that he was unable to leave the country due to an Interpol notice. While his name does not appear in Interpol's public Red Notice database, the organization frequently states that most notices are restricted to law enforcement eyes only. Recent events suggest that local authorities have now taken active steps to secure the streamer's location for the Kazakh judiciary.

Numbers and facts

The allegations against the 26-year-old streamer are substantial. The Kazakhstan Financial Monitoring Agency (AFM) initiated the investigation on November 17, 2025. The core of the case is the promotion of the website Mellstroy.game via social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. According to the AFM, participants were incentivized through challenges to distribute videos featuring the casino's logo and links. In March, the agency revealed that a network involving Burim and another blogger, Ilyar Yuashev, utilized a total of 22 shell companies and various payment tools.

Through these structures, funds exceeding 3.6 billion tenge (KZT) reportedly flowed between 2024 and 2025. Based on the National Bank of Kazakhstan's official exchange rate from March 24, 2026, this equates to approximately $7.46 million. It remains unclear exactly how much of this sum relates specifically to the Mellstroy.game brand. A Kazakh court has already authorized pretrial detention in absentia and placed Burim on the international wanted list.

Background

Mellstroy is no stranger to internet scandals. Beyond the current casino allegations, he was previously convicted in Russia for assaulting a woman during a live stream. In his home country of Belarus, his channels and logos were labeled extremist materials in November 2025. The judiciary there accuses him of inciting viewers to hooliganism and disrupting public order.

"If you repost any of my videos or even mention my username and get caught, you could face administrative or criminal charges for extremism. Be careful." - Andrey Burim, Streamer (Mellstroy)

Despite these massive legal hurdles, Burim maintains an enormous reach with over 3 million Instagram followers and nearly one million Telegram subscribers. His popularity is driven by provocative content, aggressive advertising for questionable bookmakers, and bizarre public challenges that have led to the arrests of fans in Kazakhstan in the past.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, this case serves as a stark warning against using platforms promoted by unlicensed influencers. In Germany, the offering and advertising of online gambling is strictly regulated by the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021). Streamers like Mellstroy often operate in a legal vacuum or promote providers with licenses from Curacao or the MGA, which hold no validity in the German legal market. Players using such sites risk not receiving their winnings and may potentially violate existing laws themselves.

In Germany, the Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) protects players through the official whitelist. Only providers listed there adhere to the monthly deposit limit of 1,000 euros and the stake limit of 1 euro per spin for slots. Furthermore, checks are performed against the LUGAS system to prevent gambling addiction. Cases like Mellstroy show that behind the glitzy facade of high-stakes streams, there are often criminal networks and money laundering activities being hunted by state authorities worldwide.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

Legal providers with a GGL license strictly distance themselves from such advertising practices. German law prohibits aggressive marketing targeted at minors or misleading promises of winnings. The investigation into Mellstroy and the 22 shell companies underscores the necessity of the strict transparency rules that German licensees must follow. While illegal providers attempt to bypass regulatory hurdles through streamers and social media, GGL casinos focus on sustainable player protection and legally sound operations.