Nairobi, April 29 : The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has issued a strong warning to betting companies, Media entities and Personel promoting irresponsible gambling in the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, the DCI noted that it has witnessed with deep concern a worrying surge in betting activities, exacerbated by an overwhelming wave of advertising that has saturated the country’s media landscape, affecting the society's vulnerable population, especially the youth.
Attributing the surge to accessibility of Mobile payments platforms, online lending and persistent advertisements, the DCI said that the issue must be confronted head-on.
" The accessibility of mobile payment platforms and online lending has aggravated this issue by allowing seamless transactions between betting operators and users. These persistent advertisements often entrap individuals with limited financial resources, leading them to "invest" in these schemes, and result in others dedicating excessive amounts of time and money, ultimately compromising their capacity to engage in meaningful and productive endeavours." reads the statement in part.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations reiterated its commitment to fostering a responsible gaming environment that protects our citizens from exploitation.
DCI stated that it's taking decisive measures to support the Betting Control and Licensing Board in strengthening its oversight role and ensuring that all gaming operators comply with stringent gaming regulations.
" We will take stern action against operators who violate these regulations, including those involved in illegal betting syndicates or those operating unauthorised online and physical platforms to evade regulatory scrutiny." The statement adds.
Additionally, the DCI urged gaming companies to adopt responsible practices that promote ethical gaming rather than fostering a culture of reckless betting.
" The Association of Gaming Operators Kenya (AGOK) is encouraged to intensify its initiatives aimed at consumer protection by championing awareness campaigns that educate the public about the risks associated with irresponsible gambling." DCI stated.
Kenya's gambling landscape has experienced significant growth, positioning the country as a prominent player in Africa's betting industry. Betting in Kenya has evolved from Pata-Potea playing card bets and charity sweepstake tickets sold on street corners to a massive industry.
The widespread access to the internet and the availability of affordable smartphones have only made gambling more accessible and gambling adverts more ubiquitous on social media. Registered betting firms doubled to 200 between 2021 and 2023, with radio stations actively promoting gambling as a family activity.
To put this into perspective, consider that Kenyans placed a record Ksh88.5 billion in online bets by June 2023, defying a government crackdown and suffocating taxation, according to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). This translates to Ksh242 million daily, Ksh10 million hourly and Ksh2,800 per second.
The industry has continued to expand. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), in June 2024, collected Sh24.3 billion from gambling and betting companies, a significant increase from Sh19.2 billion in 2023.
According to a GeoPoll report titled ‘Betting in Africa 2025’, football remains the most popular form of betting across countries in Africa, with 61 per cent of respondents in the survey stating they mainly bet on football matches, continuing the trend observed in 2024.
The survey shows 79 per cent of Kenyan respondents reported engaging in betting activities, placing Kenya third in Africa after South Africa and Uganda. This marks a slight decline from previous years, where Kenya led the continent with over 80 per cent participation.
However, a majority of Kenyans (57) surveyed in the 2025 gambling report by Geopoll, say they spend less than $10 (Sh1,300) per month.
Higher spending brackets include: 28 per cent between $10 and $25 (Sh3,250), 3 per cent between $25 and $50 (Sh6,500), 6 per cent between $50 and $100 (Sh13,000), 3 per cent between $100 and $500 (Sh65,000), and 3 per cent spending over $500 monthly.
“This reflects predominant low-stakes gambling but also a small group of high-stakes bettors.”
In the 2024 Geopoll survey, 32 per cent of respondents in surveyed countries: Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria, indicated they bet approximately once a week.
Additionally, 20.8 per cent placed bets once a month, 17.8 per cent at least once a day, and 15.6 per cent reported betting more than once a day.
The 2025 findings, however, show a slight increase in weekly betting, with 35 per cent of respondents now gambling once a week.
On the other hand, 22 per cent report betting once a month, while 20 per cent do so less than once a month.
Daily betting has seen a modest decline, with 14 per cent betting once a day and nine per cent placing bets more than once a day. Specifically in Kenya, a large proportion of the respondents indicated to be betting once a week.
Research firm Statista projects Kenya’s sports betting market to reach approximately $166.46 million (Sh21.6 billion) by the end of 2025.
Revenue, on the other hand is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.02 per cent, resulting in a projected market volume of $194.91 million (Sh25.3 billion) by 2029.
Additionally, the number of users in the sports betting market is expected to rise to 1.3 million by 2029.
In general, the gambling market is projected to reach $1.21 billion (Sh157.3 billion) in 2025.
" Total gambling revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2025-2029) of 2.08 per cent, resulting in a projected market volume of $1.31 billion (Sh170.3 billion) by 2029" says statistica in part.
This surge in betting has led to a rise in ludomania, or problem gambling, a mental disorder with far-reaching consequences, according to a recent study.
Last year, a legislator had proposed a motion aimed at tightening the regulatory framework governing Kenya’s gambling industry while promoting “responsible gambling” and potential links between the gambling industry and criminal activities, like money laundering.
One of the primary concerns raised is the need for stricter enforcement of the Betting, Lotteries, and Gaming Act to rope in lotteries and gambling disguised as competitions, especially by radio stations, and ensure they’re fully compliant with the law.
The motion also calls for stricter regulation of digital betting platforms, with a particular focus on protecting vulnerable groups, including minors, individuals prone to gambling addiction, and elderly men who are easily swayed by radio gambling advertisements.
But there are challenges: Betting Control and Licensing Board CEO, last August told the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Interior Security that despite generating about Sh256 million in revenue in the 2023/2024 financial year, his board was allocated Sh109 million for operations, including salaries, making it difficult “to establish a well-regulated gaming industry that ensures public protection” and asked for substantial investment in advanced monitoring tools “to enable our real-time oversight of gambling activities.”
According to a JULISHA.CO.KE correspondant, with the increasingly complex commercial ecosystem for gambling and its digital transformation, which offers unparalleled capacities for gambling, it remains to be seen what kind of legislation can achieve in stemming the habit. Every solution must tackle unemployment and poverty, which often lead people to betting, and access to mental health care while creating awareness about the dangers of gambling.
