Kenya introduces new rules for gambling ads following month-long suspension
Gambling adverts will now be allowed again but must be approved by the Betting Control and Licensing Board.
Kenya. The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has introduced new regulations as the 30-day ban on gambling ads introduced on April 29 elapses. The new rules are intended to encourage responsible gambling and to protect vulnerable demographics, particularly minors and young gamblers.
Last month’s temporary ban had been imposed as an emergency measure to give the BCLB time to draw up new advertising standards amid concerns about the normalisation of betting. Now confirmed, the new rules require operators to have gambling ads approved by the BCLB and classified by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) under the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act (CAP 131) and the Films and Stage Plays Act (CAP 222) before broadcast or publication.
Gambling ads must not depict betting as glamorous or feature endorsements from celebrities, influencerss or testimonials. Meanwhile, ads must display the operator’s BCLB licence number, must include a responsible gambling message and must specify that gambling is “Not for persons under 18 years”. Operators are also required to provide clear contact information, including a customer care number, and affirm that the gambling service is authorised and regulated by the BCLB.
Outdoor advertising will be limited to digital billboards, with a restriction of no more than two gambling-related ads per hour. Roadshow promotions have been banned.
Media outlets and advertising agencies will be responsible for ensuring that only authorised gambling ads are broadcast or published. Digital gambling platforms have also been told to implement age verification systems.
BCLB chair Jane Mwikali Makau said the guidelines had been developed in coordination with a Multiagency Enforcement Team comprising representatives from the KFCB, the Ministry of Interior, the Office of the Attorney General, the Communications Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Media Council of Kenya and the Financial Reporting Centre operating under the oversight of the Executive Office of the President.
She stressed: “All media outlets shall comply with the Code of Conduct for Media Practices, 2025, when disseminating gambling advertisements.”
