NAIROBI, KENYA — The Kenyan government has announced a 30-day suspension of all gambling advertisements and testimonials across every media platform.
The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), the regulatory body responsible for overseeing betting, gaming, and public lotteries in Kenya, issued the directive on Tuesday, citing a significant surge in gambling activities.
BCLB Chairperson Jane Makau stated that promoters are “increasingly mischaracterising gambling as a legitimate investment opportunity and a shortcut to wealth creation.”
In a statement, she expressed particular concern regarding “the rampant airing of gambling advertisements during the watershed period (5:00 am to 10:00 pm), thereby exposing vulnerable members of the population, particularly minors, who are gradually drawn into gambling-related addiction.”
Consequently, the board has suspended the promotion of all forms of gambling, including betting, gaming, and lottery prize competitions.
This prohibition encompasses a wide range of media, including television and radio commercials, social media platforms, print publications, billboards, SMS messages, email marketing campaigns, and push notifications.
Furthermore, the use of celebrity endorsements and influencer marketing for gambling activities has been immediately discontinued.
During this 30-day suspension period, all gambling operators and promoters are required to submit all advertising materials to the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) for review, classification, and the issuance of an approval certificate and filming license before dissemination.
“The National Assembly is urged to expedite the enactment of the Gambling Control Bill to empower the sector regulator with enhanced enforcement and supervisory powers,” Makau emphasized.
She also called upon the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to introduce revised guidelines to replace the previously declared unconstitutional programming code. Additionally, she urged the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to block and deactivate all foreign-based, unlicensed gambling websites operating within Kenya.
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This directive follows just over a week after the BCLB dismissed media reports that painted an alarming picture of gambling prevalence in the country, reports that estimated Kenyans spent a staggering Ksh.766 billion on betting last year.
On April 20th, the betting regulator, through Ms. Mutua (implied from the original text context, though not directly quoted in this section), refuted this figure as sensational and inaccurate.
Ms. Mutua (again, implied context) defended the betting industry by highlighting its direct employment of over 10,000 Kenyans, its indirect support of over 500,000 livelihoods, and its contributions to community development projects through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
She further stated that the sector was projected to generate Ksh.20 billion in revenue for the fiscal year 2025 through excise duty, withholding tax, and betting and gaming tax.
