Kenya National Lottery Board outlines Gambling Regulatory Authority role in licensing
Kenya’s National Lottery Board says its future operator will be licensed within the Gambling Regulatory Authority’s framework while remaining contractually accountable to the Board.
Kenya.- Kenya’s National Lottery Board (NLB) has clarified the respective roles of the Board and the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) as preparations for the country’s first National Lottery continue.
The NLB said in a LinkedIn statement: “The two mandates are distinct and complementary.” The NLB said it was established under the National Lottery Act, No. 20 of 2023, and “exists for one purpose: to establish, oversee, and safeguard Kenya’s National Lottery; procure and contract its Operator; and administer the National Lottery Fund.”
The NLB said the GRA, established under the Gambling Control Act, 2025, “regulates gaming in Kenya more broadly, including betting, casinos, commercial gaming and lotteries.” It added that its future operator “will be licensed within that framework, while remaining contractually accountable to the Board.”
The statement comes as Kenya advances towards its first National Lottery, following the appointment of RSM Eastern Africa and Sweden’s QLOT Consulting as transaction advisers and NLB chairperson Farida Karoney’s emphasis on building institutional capacity through the procurement process.
In its public communications and procurement material, the NLB describes itself as the “Steward of the National Lottery”, with responsibility for safeguarding the National Lottery for Kenya. It says this includes ensuring the lottery is run with integrity, protecting players and delivering returns to support national development and good causes.
The division of responsibilities is reflected in Kenya’s legal and regulatory framework. The NLB says the Gambling Control Act provides the broader framework under which the GRA regulates the gambling sector and issues licences, including the licence required for operation of the National Lottery. The Gambling Control (National Lottery) Regulations, 2026, provide detailed rules and procedures for implementation, including licensing, operational standards and compliance, and clarify how the NLB and GRA discharge their respective mandates.
Under the regulations, the NLB applies for the National Lottery licence through an operator it has procured to operate the lottery on its behalf.
The NLB is continuing preparations to appoint the National Lottery operator, which will run the lottery under the Board’s contractual oversight and within the GRA’s regulatory framework.
