The Betting Control and Licensing Board has suspended gambling advertisements across all media platforms for 30 days, effective April 29, 2025.
The government has expressed serious concern about the widespread gambling activities in the nation. A growing number of gambling promoters are misrepresenting gambling as a legitimate financial option and a quick way to make money.
The inaccurate portrayal has detrimental socioeconomic repercussions, impacting people, families, and the community at large. The widespread distribution of gambling ads throughout the watershed period (5:00 am to 10:00 pm) is especially concerning since it exposes vulnerable groups of people, especially children, who are progressively lured into gaming-related addiction.
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This directive encompasses all types of advertising and promotional activity, including but not restricted to the following, and it is applicable to all licensed gambling operators: Radio and television commercials, Social networking sites, Print media (magazines, newspapers, flyers), Outdoor advertising (billboards, branded vehicles, etc.), Push alerts, SMS, and email campaigns; Influencer marketing and celebrity endorsements.
All authorized gambling operators and promoters are required to do the following during this suspension period:
- Send all gambling advertisements to the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) for review, classification, and the granting of a filming license and certificate of approval in compliance with the Film and Stage Plays Act (Chapter 222, Laws of Kenya)
- Make sure that the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks controlling gambling and associated advertising in Kenya are strictly followed
- Adopt thorough initiatives to encourage responsible gambling in accordance with the BCLB’s licensing and operational guidelines.
In addition to the mentioned above, the government has established a Multi-Agency Enforcement Team with the responsibility of developing policy recommendations, enforcement strategies, and strategic interventions to promote responsible gambling countrywide.
The team will consist of representatives from:
- Ministry of Interior and National Administration
- Office of the Attorney General
- Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
- Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)
- Kenya Film Classification Board
- Media Council of Kenya (MCK)
- Financial Reporting Centre
- Betting Control and Licensing Board
