Kenya Gambling Sector: New Regulations promulgated into law.

Image by GregMontani from Pixabay

Kenya’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (the GRA), on 30 June 2026, formally gazetted the six Regulations enacted under the Gambling Control Act 2025 (the Act) heralding a paradigm shift in gambling regulation in Kenya. The Regulations that have now become law are:

1. Gambling Control (Licensing) Regulations 2026 – governing the licensing framework for all categories of gambling operators; 

2. Gambling Control (Conduct of Gambling Operations) Regulations 2026 – setting out operational standards, responsible gambling obligations, anti-money laundering controls, and record-keeping requirements for licensed operators;

3. Gambling Control (National Lottery) Regulations 2026 – establishing the regulatory regime applicable to national lottery operations;

4. Gambling Control (Advertising) Regulations 2026 – regulating the marketing and advertising of gambling products and services;

5. Gambling Control (Gambling Appeals Tribunal) Regulations 2026 – providing the procedural rules for the Gambling Appeals Tribunal, including the process for challenging GRA decisions and enforcement actions; and

6. Gambling Control (Foreign-Facing Operators) Regulations 2026 – introducing specific requirements for operators based outside Kenya who offer gambling services to Kenyan residents, including registration obligations and local compliance requirements.

By a notice dated 3 July 2026 addressed to existing and prospective operators, the GRA confirmed that it has commenced the first licensing cycle for 2026 and communicated a transitional 60-day window within which licences issued under the repealed law remain valid for only sixty (60) days from 30 June 2026, within which time the holders of such licences must apply for the appropriate licence under the new Regulations.

One significant change from versions that were subjected to public participation was a last-minute amendment to remove what would have been a first Online Hybrid Licence for operators seeking to carry out both online betting and online casino operations. Such entities will now be required to apply and maintain two independent licenses; one for each operation.

Key amongst the new developments is that B2B providers such as providers of gambling software or platform and gambling equipment testing or servicing or repair have now been brought under the realm of regulation and will now be required to obtain and maintain licenses from the GRA.

In addition, operators will be required to obtain and/or maintain:

• Licences for all online games under their product offering including ensuring that they are certified by recognised international testing lab;

• Licences for the gambling equipment or devices used in the business operations including in relation to any local manufacture, assembly, sale or distribution;

• Licences and/or accreditation of key gambling employees who includes directors and shareholders;

• Registration of a trademark over the name under which the gambling business is operated, with the certificate of registration to be submitted to the GRA within thirty (30) days of the licence being granted, amongst other specific licensing and accreditation requirements.

As expected, the new Regulations have resulted in the enhancement of applicable fees which includes application fees, licence fees, application for renewal fees, licence renewal fees and annual operating licence fees.

There is also significant enhancement in relation to capital requirement: minimum gambling capital now ranges from KES 5,000,000 (land-based bingo) to KES 2,000,000,000 (national lottery), with online bookmaking, online casino, online prize competition, online totalisators and online pool betting schemes each attracting a capital requirement of KES 100,000,000.

Whilst the immediate effect of the new Regulations is not yet clear, we expect that the same will result in elimination of a vast majority of small operators who may not be able to meet the high threshold of capital requirements and the entry of well-established international operators into the country.