Kenya bans gambling ads near sensitive locations
The Board, in collaboration with other agencies, will conduct regular audits to monitor and enforce compliance with the new advertising regulations.
Kenya.- The Kenyan government has banned gambling advertisements near schools, places of worship, and popular sports frequented by children, such as playgrounds and shopping malls. The restrictions were put in place to reduce minors’ exposure to betting ads.
The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has also outlawed various forms of outdoor gambling advertising, including wall branding, building wraps, bus wraps, street pole ads and road shows. Electronic billboards are exempted from the rule, however, operators are limited to displaying a maximum of two ads per hour.
Betting companies must also refrain from featuring past winners in their ads, as it may create a false impression that winning is easy or common.
These rules are part of a broader set of directives recently released by the BCLB to regulate gambling ads and shield vulnerable groups, particularly minors and youths, from the potential harms of betting. They were introduced shortly after the government implemented a 30-day suspension on gambling ads.
The Board, in collaboration with other agencies, will conduct regular audits to monitor and enforce compliance with the new advertising regulations. Violators will face penalties like licence suspension or revocation.
Dr Jane Makau, BCLB chairperson, said: “The Board will continue to evaluate the gambling industry and issue additional guidelines to promote responsible gambling and safeguard punters.”
