Kenyan Govt Issues Guidelines for Betting, Gambling Advertisements After 30-Day Ban
- The government established a multi-agency team to formulate guidelines for responsible gambling activities
- Led by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), the team issued guidelines for gambling advertisements after a 30-day ban
- BCLB chairperson Jane Mwikali warned that operators and industry players who do not comply will be penalised
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Wycliffe Musalia has over six years of experience in financial, business, technology, climate, and health reporting, providing deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends. He currently works as a business editor at TUKO.co.ke.
President William Ruto's administration has issued strict guidelines for the advertisement of betting and gambling activities in the country.
Source: Facebook
This came after the government issued a ban on gambling promotions for 30 days in April 2025.
On Thursday, May 29, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) published guidelines developed during the period to regulate gambling advertisement.
BCLB chairperson Jane Mwikali Makau explained that during the one-month ban, the board committed to issuing guidelines that will promote responsible betting.
"The guidelines developed in collaboration between BCLB and other players including Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and others, are aimed at promoting responsible gambling and safeguarding vulnerable members of the society from exposure to gambling addiction," said Mwikali.
What are the set guidelines for gambling advertisements?
Mwikali noted that all marketing related to gambling should be approved by BCLB and classified by KFCB after meeting the stipulated requirements.
The guidelines include:
- Submission to the board for approval and thereafter forwarded to KFCB for classification.
- Media owners & agencies are to ensure that all gambling advertisements are approved by BCLB and classified by KFCB before being distributed on their channels/platforms.
- All media outlets are to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Media Practices, 2025, before carrying out gambling adverts.
- No form of advertisement will be placed near schools, religious institutions, or places frequently visited by children, such as playgrounds and shopping malls.
How to get approval for gambling advertisement
BCLB noted that for an operator to get the green light for a gambling advert, the company should be duly licensed by BCLB before seeking approval for the advertisement.
Source: Getty Images
Other requirements are:
- Gambling adverts should not glamorise betting or use celebrities, influencers and content creators to endorse or promote gambling.
- All gambling adverts should indicate the BCLB license number and carry a responsible gambling message, i.e. Gambling is addictive! Play responsibly!
- The advert should contain the words "authorised and regulated by the Betting Control and Licensing Board" displayed/mentioned at all times, and not have a call-to-action message.
- The advert should not associate gambling with celebrities or social success.
- It should not depict gambling as a source of income.
- Contain the minimum age requirement message: "Not for persons under the age of 18".
- Contain the name and address of the company advertising, and a customer-care number.
- The advert should not use testimonies from previous gamblers.
BLCB warned that any industry player who fails to adhere to the set guidelines will face penalties.
"To ensure compliance with these guidelines, the board will conduct regular audits and checks in collaboration with various regulatory agencies and penalise non-compliant operators through suspension or revocation of licences," said Mwikali.
She warned that media houses that air unapproved gambling advertisements will be penalised.
In May 2025, the government fined eight TV stations KSh 500,000 after they were found airing gambling ads during the ban period.
Why govt placed ban on gambling advertisements
There has been a rise in cases of gambling in the country, with BCLB accusing promoters of mischaracterising the activity as an investment opportunity.
BCLB took the step following a report that argued Kenyans spent KSh 766 billion in 2024 on gambling.
The board dismissed the report, leading to the formation of a multi-agency team that formulated guidelines for responsible gambling activities.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
