Is Online Gambling Legal in Kenya?
Yes, with a licence from the Gambling Regulatory Authority. The Gambling Control Act, No. 14 of 2025, was signed on 7 August 2025 and came into force later that month. It repealed the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act of 1966 and created licence categories for online gambling, gambling platforms, bookmaking, lotteries and more.
The Act is aimed squarely at operators. Licensees must be companies at least 30% owned by Kenyan citizens, with a local presence, a Kenyan bank account and player data stored in Kenya. Offering online gambling to people in Kenya without a licence can bring a company a fine of up to KES 50 million, and foreign operators that only serve other countries must hold a foreign-based operator licence and block Kenyan players. Casinos licensed abroad still accept Kenyans, and many on this page hold licences of that kind.
Kenya’s 2026 Licensing Round
The detailed rules followed in mid 2026, when six sets of regulations were published between 29 June and 2 July. The GRA reopened licence applications on 18 August 2026, and licences issued under the old law were valid only until 24 September 2026.
An online casino licence lasts one year. The fees, KES 5 million to apply, KES 50 million on grant and KES 5 million a year, plus KES 100 million in required capital, were challenged in the High Court, which let the GRA keep processing applications while the case continued.
Betting Taxes in Kenya: Deposits, Withdrawals and Winnings
Kenya taxes the money moving through a licensed account rather than only the win, and each deduction is made by the operator before you receive the funds:
- Deposits: 5% excise duty on any amount deposited for betting or gaming. From 1 July 2026 it also covers money converted into chips, tokens or credits.
- Withdrawals: 5% withholding tax, charged when a payout is credited to you.
- Lottery and prize competition winnings: 20% withholding tax.
Operators pay their own 15% tax on gross gaming revenue on top. Kenya taxes both ends of the account, while some countries tax nothing at all, and how winnings are taxed from one country to the next shows how wide that range is.
M-Pesa and Other Ways to Pay
Mobile money is how most Kenyans move money, and M-Pesa is the method Kenyan players look for first. Under the new rules, licensed operators may accept debit cards, bank transfers, mobile money and cash deposits, but not credit cards, and cryptocurrency is prohibited. Casinos licensed abroad set their own payment options, and whether a given casino takes M-Pesa, cards or crypto is on our page of casino payment methods.
Holding your balance in shillings avoids a currency conversion on every deposit and withdrawal, which matters more when 5% is already coming off each way.
Kenya’s National Self-Exclusion Register
The Act requires a national self-exclusion register kept by the GRA, and licensed operators must connect to it by about the end of 2026. Every licensed operator must also offer a self-exclusion option of at least 24 hours within its session limits. A casino licensed abroad is not connected to the Kenyan register, so exclusion there has to be set casino by casino.
A single register across every licensed operator is how many countries handle this, and Kenya is joining them; how national exclusion registers reach players shows what changes once it is live. NACADA’s free helpline, 1192, is open 24 hours a day for counselling and referrals.
Gambling Advertising Under the New Act
Every gambling advert in Kenya now needs the GRA’s approval at least seven days in advance and a classification from the Kenya Film Classification Board. Television and radio adverts are barred between 06:00 and 22:00 except during live sport, celebrity and influencer endorsements are restricted, roadshows are banned, and print adverts are limited to newspaper sports sections twice a week. Breaching the advertising rules can bring a fine of up to KES 20 million, up to 20 years in prison, or both.
Kenyan Licence or Offshore Casino
At a GRA licensed operator, the taxes are deducted for you, the national register will apply, and a Kenyan regulator stands behind the account. A casino licensed abroad answers to its own regulator, its bonus and payment rules follow that licence, and the protection an offshore licence gives a Kenyan player depends on which authority issued it. Our page of casinos grouped by licence lets you see which regulator is behind each one.
Comparing the Best Online Casinos for Kenyan Players
For a Kenyan player the comparison starts with three things: whether the casino takes M-Pesa, whether it holds your balance in shillings, and what comes off each deposit and withdrawal. The bonus terms come next, and on our page of welcome bonuses for Kenya the wagering for each offer sits beside its card.
