The Kenyan gambling regulatory authority recently took a tough stance, announcing a nationwide gambling advertisement ban for 30 days starting from April 29, 2025.
This decision was personally signed by Jane Mwikali Makau, the chairperson of the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), marking a further escalation in the country's regulation of the gambling industry.
The ban covers all forms of gambling advertisements, including television, radio, social media, and traditional print media. Chairperson Makau specifically pointed out that there is a serious issue with misleading advertisements by gambling operators, particularly during watershed hours (from 5 AM to 10 PM), which frequently expose minors to gambling content, a major concern for the regulatory body.
"Under the powers granted by the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act, we have decided to immediately suspend all gambling advertisements and promotional activities across all media platforms," Makau emphasized in the statement, "All licensed operators must strictly comply with this regulation while continuing to fulfill their obligations to promote responsible gambling."
It is noteworthy that the latest 2025 African gambling industry survey report released by GeoPoll shows that Kenya's gambling participation has been surpassed by South Africa and Uganda. This shift may prompt the regulatory body to take stricter measures to regulate market order. This ban is also another significant attempt by the regulatory body following the general disregard by operators of the BCLB's request to suspend operations during the 2022 presidential elections.
Industry insiders analyze that this advertising ban is not only an important measure to protect minors but also a key step for the Kenyan government to reshape the image of the gambling industry. During the period of the ban, the BCLB may further assess the impact of advertising on gambling addiction rates, providing a basis for formulating more refined regulatory policies in the future.
