Gambling Laws In Kenya

• How To Stop Illegal Gambling
• Is Gambling Legal In Kenya
• Gambling Laws In Kenya Government
• Gambling Laws In Kenya Covid 19
• Gambling Laws In Kentucky
• What Is The Law On Gambling

Kenya is considering a significant overhaul of its gambling law. A wide-ranging proposal being considered by the Kenyan National Assembly could potentially lead to a complete revamp of how online betting operators are licensed and regulated, re-regulation of land-based gambling options and the establishment of a national lottery.

How To Stop Illegal Gambling

Online Gambling Laws in Kenya Kenya was one of the first African nations to legalise online gambling. Although the vast majority of online betting platforms operating in Kenya are foreign, all gambling within the country is regulated by the BCLB.

The Gaming Bill, 2019 sits in the National Assembly now and is slated to be debated later this week. If the bill is signed into law, Kenya’s gambling landscape will be undergoing major changes in the near future.

Looking at the Gaming Bill of 2019

Within the Kenyan gambling legislation, the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act from 1966 and its revised version from 2018 are considered to be the main regulatory acts of all gambling activities in the country. Thus, according to this act all forms of land-based gambling are legal in Kenya. Online gambling is also considered to be legal. There is every indication that Africa is the next gambling paradise in the world, owing to the rapid growth of the youthful population and penetration of technology. Today, almost three-quarters of teenagers on the continent can access mobile phone devices. As a result, most of. The Kenyan online lottery laws, are mainly derived from the articles of the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act from 2016. According to this act all lotto and online lotto games are legal in Kenya. The Pambazuka National Lottery, is one of the most popular charity lotteries organized in Kenya.

Seven major proposals are included in the bill:

• The establishment of a new regulatory authority
• The establishment of a Gaming Appeals Tribunal
• The creation of a national lottery
• Licensing and regulating foreign online gambling operators
• Significant increase in licensing fees
• Reduced betting limits
• New restrictions on gambling advertising

Now, let’s take a look at the changes being considered in each of these areas.

New Gambling Regulatory Authority

The new Gaming Bill 2019 proposes to replace the Betting Control and Licensing Board with the National Gaming Authority to oversee the gambling industry, enforce gaming law and issue gambling licenses to operators.

Gaming Appeals Tribunal

A new tribunal will be set up to address all matters related to gambling disputes in Kenya.

Is Gambling Legal In Kenya

Kenya’s First National Lottery

If the bill passes into law, Kenya will establish its first national lottery. A tender process will be held to determine the operator of this lottery. The successful operator will be offered an operating license for seven years.

The aim of the new lottery will be to raise funds for good causes related to Kenyan sports. 15% of all revenue generated by the lottery will be given to this cause. 20% of the revenue will be used to pay the administrative costs and 20% will be distributed to lottery agents and retailers. All remaining revenue (45%) will be distributed among lottery winners as prizes.

The Gaming Bill will also create the National Lottery Trust Fund which will be tasked with distributing money raised for charitable causes.

Regulating Foreign Gambling Operators

Under the proposed gaming law, foreign operators will be permitted to apply for licenses to launch betting sites in Kenya. These operators will be required to pay licensing fees, establish a physical presence in Kenya and base their servers in-country.

Early speculation is that these requirements will result in foreign gaming companies forging partnerships with local casinos and operators for market access.

Operators will Pay Higher License Fees

Anyone seeking a gambling license to offer their services in the Kenyan market will face significantly higher license fees.

• Online gambling operators– A three year license will cost KES 100 million (nearly $1 million). A renewal fee will cost KES 30 million.
• Casinos and gaming halls in Kenya– A license fee will cost KES 50 million. A renewal fee costs KES 30 million. The Betting and Licensing Control Board currently charges operators KES 1 million to apply for a license, followed by a KES 3 license fee and a KES 25,000 renew permit.
• Land-based bookies– License fees will cost KES 30 million, with renewal charges set at KES 5 million after three years. Bookmakers are currently charged a KES 10 million application fee and a KES 200,000 license fee to offer on or off-course betting. Bookies can also buy a dual license for KES 400K.

Betting Limits in Kenya

The new gaming bill hopes to reach a consensus on the minimum amount that players can bet. SportPesa currently asks players for a minimum of KES 100. The government wants to halve that amount to KES 50.

Gambling Advertising in Kenya

Stricter controls will be leveraged on gambling advertising. Some of the issues proposed:

• Gambling ads will be banned between 6 am and 10 pm. (An exception to this rule will be during live sports broadcasts).
• Gambling ads being broadcast on TV or the radio will need to have at least 10% of their airtime dedicated to responsible gambling messages.
• A new Gambling Advertisement Tax will be imposed: A 35% tax will be slapped on each gambling ad that is broadcast. It is not yet clear who will bear the brunt of this new tax – the broadcaster or the operators.

Gambling Laws In Kenya Government

Earlier this year, the Betting Control and Licensing Board sought to block celebrities from participating in gambling ads and promotions. The order was challenged in Kenya’s High Court by Kamau Wanjohi, a local gospel singer and activist also known as MC Moreydoc.

Wanjohi contended the new order would severely impact the livelihoods of him and his colleagues, that the term “celebrity” is too vague, and that the public was never asked for feedback prior to the ban.

The order was temporarily suspended by the High Court, but the issue will definitely come up again when the National Assembly deliberates the new law.

Gambling Taxes Will Not Be Addressed

Kenyan National Assembly will not be asked to address the gambling tax rate just yet despite recent controversies regarding the government’s cut.

One of the main reasons for this is that the issue became highly controversial last year when tax levels spiked to 35%. Only after substantial demands by the industry, the rates were reduced to 15%. This number has been retained more or less until now.

Popular Kenyan betting site SportPesa also raised the ire of punters earlier this year when it sought to deduct the 20% gambling tax from customers’ winnings.

One SportPesa customer took such offense to the decision that he took the site to court over a deduction taken from his winnings. The court has issued a temporary halt order preventing SportPesa from deducting taxes from his winnings.

Also in April, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’I told the industry that licenses for all betting firms will be cancelled on July 1^st until all taxes are paid.

Problem Gambling Concerns in Kenya

The government is concerned about the growing number of problem gamblers, especially among the youth – many of whom place their wagers on mobile phones.

Victor Munyaka , Chair of the National Assembly’s Sports, Culture and Tourism Committee, said, “The bill seeks to restrict use of telecommunication platforms as media for gambling in Kenya.”

Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i added this:

“We would be lying to you if we do not point out that the Betting Licensing Control regime in our country must change… we are going to turn it inside out.

“We have the unfortunate situation where we in Kenya are leading on the population of our young people are involved in betting.”

While Kenya is finally starting to make some progress in revamping its outdated gambling laws, there are clearly still some big issues regarding taxes and problem gambling that will need to be dealt with sooner or later.

Different types of legalised gambling were first introduced to Kenya dating back to 1966 when the Betting Control and Licensing Board was first developed. Their main function is to regulate gambling establishments so they can allow Kenyans to gamble safely.

In recent years, this governing body has regularly collected over 3 million dollars in revenue per year. Neighbouring countries do not have this type of clearly defined legal code in place, so these African neighbours don’t enjoy the wide array of gambling opportunities available to Kenyan players.

Currently Kenyan residents can access a number of online casinos with mobile devices to play table games, video slot machines, Bingo, wager on sports, and play Texas Hold’em poker.

Recommended ‘All-in-One’ Gaming Site for Kenyan Players

Gambling Laws In Kenya Covid 19

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Gaming Regulation in Kenya

Gaming regulations continue to change in order for governments to be able to capitalise on growing revenue potential. Although the legislative systems in Africa have really gotten a bad reputation over the years, it appears that the Betting Control and Licensing Board of Kenya is the exception to the rule.

They have laid down the law concerning legalised online gambling and made the gaming laws very clear-cut. This governing body can easily control tax revenues by allowing online casinos to accept Kenyan players, while allowing residents the opportunity to safely enjoy world-class gambling experiences.

Most Kenyans rely heavily on mobile technology to access these online gambling websites. According to a study released by iHub, over 10 million Kenyans have mobile phones, and 98% of them use their phones to access the internet.

Mobile lotteries and scratch-games have been recently gaining in popularity with Kenyan gamblers.

Online Gambling for Kenyans

It is no secret that online gambling in Kenya is big business, and in order for the most popular gaming websites to approve Kenyan players, they first need approval from the BCLB of Kenya and the eCOGRA, e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance.

These governing bodies perform monthly audits of each casino and provide Kenyan players with the highest amount of web security available. This assures that players have gambling fairness and safety each time they access these websites.

These gaming sites that accept Kenyan players must comply with strict industry standards that are set forth by the Betting Control and Licensing Board of Kenya. This gaming industry watchdog provides their seal of approval if and when the online casino meets all the rules and regulations set forth to operate in Africa.

Gambling Sites Accepting Players from Kenya

The following list of online gambling websites all accept Kenyan players and provide different types of betting opportunities for players to enjoy.

For players who are looking for wagering on table games like Roulette, Blackjack, or Baccarat, or play video slot machines, they can register to play at:
NetBet Casino, Rizk Casino, Spinson Casino, Chance Hill Casino, Omni Slots, Royal Panda, Casino Cruise, 7Regal Casino, Cherry Casino, RealBet Casino, Lucky Casino, Betsafe Casino, Bovada Casino, Grand Fortune Casino, Poker Casino, Vegas Crest Casino, Betway Casino, Bet365 Casino, Uptown Aces Casino, Luxury Casino, Malibu Club Casino, VideoSlots Casino, Crazy Vegas Casino, EU Casino, Miami Club Casino, and Golden Euro Casino. There are many others in addition to these well-known online casinos online that accept Kenyan players.

For players who are looking to wager on global sporting events, they can register to gamble at these online sportsbook websites:
Betway Sports, BetVictor, NetBet Sportsbook, Bet365, Big Bet World Sportsbook, GTbets, Interwetten, GUTS, ComeOn! Sportsbook, Bwin Sports, Unibet, Pinnacle Sports, Intertops, 32Red Sportsbook, 138 Sportsbook, Bet-at-home Sportsbook, Bovada, RealBet Sportsbook, Ladbrokes, Betsafe Sportsbook, Odds Ring, Bet Online, and 188BET. There are many others in addition to these well-known online sportsbook websites that accept Kenyan players.

For players who are looking to play online poker, they can register to enter poker tournaments or play at live tables at:
Poker Stars, Full Tilt, Party Poker, Juicy Stakes, Betway Poker, Bet365 Poker, Betvictor Poker, 32Red Poker, Unibet Poker, and PKR Poker. There are many others in addition to these well-known poker rooms online that accept Kenyan players.

For players who are looking to play online Bingo, they can register at:
Bingo Hall, CyberBingo, Maria Bingo, Bet365 Bingo, Mecca Bingo, Unibet Bingo, Bingo Sky, Jackpotjoy, Vics Bingo, Wink Bingo, Bingo Joy, and Party Bingo. There are several other Bingo websites that accept Kenyan players.

Gambling Laws In Kentucky

For players who are looking to gamble on Lotto online, they can register at:
Lotto Booking, Lotto Palace, ScratchMania, EuroLotto, and Gratorama.

What Is The Law On Gambling

As a Kenyan player, it is quite natural to wonder about the availability and safety of gambling websites. The BCLB of Kenya takes extraordinary steps to ensure players have a safe gambling experience online without their private information being shared.

This betting and licensing board takes pride in being able to ensure all online gambling for Kenyans is transparent, fair, and protects the players.