The regulator is currently drafting regulations to implement the mandatory deductions<\/strong>, so the policy is soon to be required. The Betting Control and Licensing Board<\/strong> (BCLB), now operating as the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya (GRAK), has instructed operators to prepare for compliance<\/strong>, with automated systems expected to track deductions once active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gambling Control Act 2025<\/strong> empowers the authority to mandate these contributions. It states: \u201cThe Authority (Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya) shall develop policies<\/strong> for placing of bets for betting, lotteries and gambling that include a savings component<\/strong> for social health insurance or social retirement benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It further specifies: \u201cThe minimum amount<\/strong> set under subsection (1) shall be inclusive of such a saving component for the player as shall be determined by the Authority in consultation<\/strong> with the Cabinet Secretary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis<\/strong> (KIPPRA) survey found that 62 per cent<\/strong> of respondents bet weekly, often supplementing \u201cmodest incomes<\/strong> averaging KES25,000(\u20ac194), with many using small stakes for essentials such as school fees or rent”, according to Bana Media. It also reported that licensed operators have begun automating<\/strong> compliance systems to process the new SHIF and NSSF deductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Industry insiders warn the levies could make betting costlie<\/strong>r after a 5 per cent excise duty increase earlier this year. Some operators expect rising costs and reduced customer activity as bettors seek cheaper alternatives<\/strong>. Advocacy groups caution stricter rules <\/strong>may push players toward unlicensed gambling, while officials argue the deductions promote a savings culture and strengthen social protection<\/strong>, vital in a country where 36 per cent of citizens live below the poverty line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following this development, Kenyan media outlets have conducted their own calculations using these estimates<\/strong> to illustrate potential costs for bettors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Techweez report provided illustrative figures: \u201cThe Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) takes 2.75 per cent<\/strong>, and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) adds up to 6 per cent <\/strong>on qualifying amounts. This comes on top of existing taxes: a 15 per cent excise<\/strong> duty on stakes and a 20 per cent<\/strong> withholding tax on winnings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report added: \u201cIn simple terms, placing a KES1,000(\u20ac7.8) bet on a football match will see you lose KES118(\u20ac0.92) before the game kicks off. If you win, another chunk will go to a mandatory social contribution<\/strong>. It is a structure that makes Kenya\u2019s betting scene possibly the most expensive<\/strong> in East Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The policy also aims to expand SHIF membership and stabilise finances<\/strong>, as the fund faces KES76bn(\u20ac588.2m) in unpaid medical bills<\/strong>. By linking betting proceeds to national health and pension schemes, officials hope to strengthen Kenya\u2019s social protection network while formalising informal earnings<\/strong> from gambling. <\/p>\n\n\nBetting costs and estimates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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