Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Licensing in Kenya: GRA Requirements

Gambling licensing in Kenya is now governed by the Gambling Control Act, 2025 (Act No. 14 of 2025), which repealed the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act (Cap. 131) and replaced the Betting Control and Licensing Board with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya (GRA). Six sets of regulations made in mid-2026 now fill in the detail on licensing, conduct, advertising, foreign operators, the appeals tribunal and the national lottery. This guide explains who must be licensed, the main eligibility conditions, how online operators and foreign companies are treated, and the penalties for operating without a licence.

The Gambling Control Act and the GRA

Section 120 of the Act repeals the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act. Section 6 establishes the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya as a body corporate. Under section 121, the rights, duties, obligations, assets and liabilities of the former Betting Control and Licensing Board transferred to the Authority on commencement, and references to the former Board in contracts and documents are read as references to the Authority. Anyone relying on a pre-2025 guide that names the Board or Cap. 131 as the licensing authority and law should treat that guide as out of date.

What Must Be Licensed

Section 28(1) provides that a person shall not offer any gambling activity or service unless it is licensed under the Act. Section 28(2) lists the activities for which the GRA issues licences, including:

• public gambling, meaning table games and slot machines;
• the national lottery and public lotteries;
• bookmaking and on-course and off-course totalisators;
• bingo and pool betting schemes;
• prize competitions and media promotions with prizes;
• online gambling;
• manufacture, assembly, sale, distribution, testing, repair and servicing of gambling equipment and devices;
• provision of gambling software or platforms; and
• key gambling employees.

The Licensing Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 111 of 2026) then set out an application route for each category, with its own form and supporting documents.

Eligibility, Capital and Security

Section 29 permits a licence only to a body corporate in which at least thirty per cent of the shares are held by Kenyan citizens, and which maintains an account with an authorised financial institution registered in Kenya into which it pays all money relating to the licensed activity. Foreign investors should structure shareholding with that thirty per cent floor in mind from the outset.

Under section 30, an application is made in the prescribed form with the prescribed fee, evidence that the applicant has or commands the prescribed gambling capital, and security by way of an insurance bond or bank guarantee. Section 41 requires proof of adequate gambling capital and provides that the amount for each activity is set by the GRA, in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary, by Gazette notice. Section 40 requires the security bond or guarantee at the amounts in the Third Schedule. For a bookmaker or online operator, the Licensing Regulations also require a valid Tax Compliance Certificate and PIN certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority, and online applicants must show a proposed gambling control system compatible with the GRA central management system and evidence of anti-money laundering compliance.

The specific application fees and capital figures are in the schedules to the Regulations and the GRA’s Gazette notices, so confirm the current amounts for your category before budgeting.

Licence Duration and Renewal

Under section 31(3), a gambling licence is valid for thirty-six months from the date of issue, or for such other period as the regulations prescribe. A renewal application must be lodged at least three months before the licence expires. The Licensing Regulations provide that the duration for each category is specified in their Fourth Schedule, so check that Schedule for your licence type.

Online Gambling and Foreign Operators

Section 67 requires a person who wants to operate, sell or promote online gambling in Kenya to apply for an online bookmaker’s licence, an online lottery licence or an online casino licence. The applicant must submit a proposed gambling control system and deposit security. Section 79 adds that a foreign-based operator can be given an online licence only if it is registered in Kenya, has a registered physical address in Kenya, meets the requirements the GRA prescribes, and provides audited accounts for the preceding year. The Gambling Control (Foreign-Based Operators) Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 113 of 2026) provide the detail.

Player protections in the Act include a minimum online bet of KES 20 (section 71), mandatory player registration with a measure to prevent children from registering (section 72) and voluntary self-exclusion agreements (section 115).

Advertising

Section 87 prohibits promoting gambling on electronic media or in any other form without GRA approval. It specifically restricts using a prominent personality, celebrity, public vehicle or lifestyle advertising to promote gambling, and sponsoring sporting events for advertising purposes. The Gambling Control (Advertising) Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 114 of 2026) apply, so marketing teams should review campaigns against them before launch.

Penalties and Appeals

Section 98 makes it an offence to operate or conduct any form of gambling without a valid licence. A first offence carries a fine of up to KES 3 million, or imprisonment of up to three years, or both. A second or subsequent offence carries a fine of up to KES 5 million, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both. Betting with a child is a separate offence under section 109. A person aggrieved by a GRA decision may go to the Gambling Appeals Tribunal established by section 88, and the Gambling Control (Gambling Appeals Tribunal) Regulations, 2026 govern its procedure.

Transition for Existing Licensees

Section 122 of the Act says licences issued under the repealed Act remain valid for the licence period, after which the holder must apply to the GRA for a new licence. Regulation 30 of the Licensing Regulations is stricter: it provides that a licence under the repealed Act continues for sixty days from publication of the Regulations, within which the holder must apply for the appropriate licence. Kenya Law’s version of those Regulations is dated 29 June 2026, so a legacy licensee that has not yet applied should confirm its position with the GRA immediately.