Kenya National Lottery Board issues scam alert as lottery preparations continue
Kenya’s regulator says no operator has been licensed, no games have launched and no prizes are being paid, urging the public to ignore fraudulent apps and bogus winning claims.
Kenya.- Kenya’s National Lottery Board (NLB) has urged the public to remain vigilant after uncovering fraudulent online platforms posing as the country’s National Lottery.
In an official public statement published on June 30, the Board said it had identified online pages unlawfully using its name, logo and the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Kenya to promote fake lottery applications, false winners and fictitious bonus offers.
The Board stressed that the National Lottery has not yet become operational. “The National Lottery Board has not launched any lottery, game, or mobile application. No lottery operator has been licensed or appointed yet. No prizes, winnings, or bonuses are being awarded or paid,” said the NLB.
The regulator urged members of the public to avoid downloading any application claiming to be the official National Lottery, keep their personal and financial information private and never pay money or fees to claim a purported lottery prize.
The warning comes as Kenya continues preparations for the National Lottery under the National Lottery Act, 2023. According to the National Lottery Board’s official website, the Board was established to oversee the National Lottery for the public good and national progress. As no operator has yet been licensed or appointed, any platform claiming to offer official National Lottery games or payouts is fraudulent.
Earlier this year, the Board invited bids for transaction advisory services to support the procurement of a National Lottery operator, marking another milestone in preparations for Kenya’s National Lottery, according to a tender invitation notice published by the World Lottery Association.
Although Kenya’s National Lottery has yet to launch, the Board warned that fraudsters are already using its identity to deceive members of the public.
The Board advised the public to rely only on information published through its official communication channels and reminded Kenyans that legitimate lottery operators do not require winners to pay money before receiving prizes.
For verified information, the regulator directed the public to its official website and urged citizens to remain vigilant against fraudulent schemes and report suspicious activity as preparations for Kenya’s National Lottery continue.
