Legal regulation of taxi aggregators and drivers: a comparative legal analysis of Kazakhstan and international practice

Abstract

The article examines contemporary approaches to the legal regulation of taxi aggregators – digital ride-hailing platforms that mediate between passengers and drivers – in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the European Union, the United States, and the Russian Federation. The study covers the latest legislative changes and judicial practice from 2023 to 2025, including key court cases such as City of New York v. Uber Technologies Inc., C‐434/15 Asociación Profesional Elite Taxi v. Uber Spain, and the Kazakhstani case of Ospan A.A. v. Glovo Kazakhstan LLP. Through a comparative legal analysis, the authors discuss the employment status of drivers (self-employed vs. employee), issues of algorithmic management and the provision of social and labor guarantees, as well as new approaches to taxation of digital platforms (for example, the “VAT in the Digital Age” (ViDA) package in the EU). Special attention is paid to the evolving regulatory frameworks for the platform economy in Kazakhstan (digital reforms of 2023–2025) and in Russia (Federal Law No. 580 and subsequent amendments in 2023–2025). The results show that despite the global nature of ride-hailing businesses, legal solutions vary significantly. The EU seeks to ensure labor rights for platform workers through a presumption of employment relationships and regulation of algorithms; the US relies on local regulations (such as city-level licensing and wage rules) and piecemeal judicial mechanisms; meanwhile, Kazakhstan and Russia are only beginning to form their own models, currently focused more on registration and control than on social protection. In conclusion, the authors propose recommendations to improve the legal regulation of taxi aggregators, aiming to balance the interests of platforms, drivers, and society.