Regulatory Clampdown Triggers 89% Drop in Kenya’s Advertising Spend on Gambling
Over the past year, Kenya’s media and advertising landscape has been marked by tougher regulation of
gambling promotions. The turning point came in April 2025, when the Betting Control and Licensing
Board (BCLB) imposed a 30-day suspension on all gambling advertisements, working alongside the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) to reset the regulatory framework.
This was followed in late May 2025 by the introduction of new responsible advertising guidelines,
including a ban on celebrity and influencer endorsements, cutting off one of the industry’s most visible
marketing channels. Enforcement quickly intensified, with the Communications Authority issuing
broadcasters a 12-hour ultimatum in May 2025 to pull all gambling adverts off air or face licence
cancellation. In June 2025, regulators met with influencers and content creators to majorly balance
concerns around responsible gambling and to also recognise their role in the digital economy.
These regulations were designed to fundamentally change how gambling was presented to the public.
Key mandates included a total ban on celebrity and influencer endorsements, mandatory KFCB
classification for every gambling advertisement before airing, and a prohibition on content that
glamorizes betting or portrays it as a viable source of income. Additionally, there were geographic
restrictions banning ads near schools and religious institutions, along with strict limitations on print
media, capping betting ads at 20% of available space.
The Communications Authority of Kenya’s Audience Measurement and Industry Trends Report shows
that before the new regulations took full effect, the final quarter of the 2024/25 financial year marked
the peak of gambling advertising expenditure. During this period, betting companies were the leading
contributors to media advertising revenue, spending a combined Sh1.2 billion. Television accounted for
Sh796 million, radio Sh513 million, and print media Sh60 million.
By the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, gambling advertising spend had fallen by 89% to Sh131
million, a figure that reflects the immediate impact of regulatory intervention. Television expenditure
declined to Sh80 million, radio dropped to Sh51 million, while betting firms recorded no print
advertising spend during the quarter.
As gambling advertising declined, other sectors stepped in to fill the gap. The communications sector
emerged as the largest advertiser in Q1 2025/26, increasing its spend by 124% to Sh2.2 billion, with
Sh1.56 billion allocated to television. Office equipment and supplies recorded the fastest growth, rising
537% to Sh255 million, while tourism and entertainment advertising expanded by 128% to Sh1.8 billion.
Financial services led radio advertising, with expenditure reaching Sh1.3 billion.
