Kenya to tighten gambling rules as media ad ban nears end

Kenya's gambling regulator has launched a multi-agency initiative to overhaul operational guidelines for the betting industry, with the aim of tightening controls around advertising, underage participation, and gambling hours.

The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) said on Friday it had formed a team including representatives from eight state bodies, from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the Office of the Attorney-General, Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Kenya Film Classification Board, the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), and the Financial Reporting Centre, to lead the review.

“We all understand that betting is addictive. We must unite and sanitise this country by reviewing the guidelines,” BCLB Chairperson Dr Jane Makau said during a community event in Nairobi’s South B neighbourhood.

The new regulations are expected to impose restrictions on betting near schools, limit gambling hours, and introduce eligibility thresholds for individuals before they can participate.

A 30-day suspension on gambling advertisements across all media platforms is currently in effect and will remain in place until the updated guidelines are implemented.

“We need to sensitise the communities on the effects of betting and make them understand that you only stake that which you can afford to lose,” Makau said. “We have seen a trend where people are staking money that they have earned for a living, people are getting into more debt, and some are getting depressed.”

The crackdown comes amid growing concerns among lawmakers over potential tax evasion by betting operators. Legislators said last week some firms may be manipulating betting outcomes to underreport winnings, thereby reducing their tax obligations.

“While there is growth in excise duty on betting and gaming activities for the last two financial years, the withholding tax on wins continues to reduce. How is this possible?” Molo MP Kimani Kuria asked during a parliamentary hearing.

Data presented to the committee by KRA showed the government collected 19.6 billion Kenyan shillings ($150 million) in excise and income taxes from gambling in the 2024/25 fiscal year, up 2.53 billion shillings from the previous year.

The industry has expressed conditional support for the new measures. “We promote responsible gambling and all we want is to ensure that Kenyans only bet on that which they can afford to lose,” said Sasa Krneta, chairperson of the Association of Gambling Operators of Kenya. “As operators, we are willing to do everything to ensure that there is compliance and that the livelihoods of communities are not destroyed by gambling.”