Kenyan lawmakers are pushing for tighter gambling regulations, including raising the legal betting age to 21 and setting a minimum stake of Ksh50 across all betting platforms. This comes amid growing concern over the surge of irresponsible gambling among the youth.
The proposals were introduced during parliamentary deliberations on the Gambling Control Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 70 of 2023), which seeks to establish a stronger regulatory framework for the betting and casino industry.
Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi, one of the bill’s vocal supporters, stressed the need for bold changes to protect young people from falling into gambling traps.
“We discourage young people from engaging in it, because getting Sh50 is a bit hard. It is like these people are so powerful that they can convince the government to pass a Bill that can be shaped into what they want. What we are doing to our young people is wrong,” Elachi said.
Elachi urged Parliament to back the proposed age limit of 21 and enforce a betting floor of Ksh50 to make it harder for young people to participate in gambling. She argued that these steps would deter casual and addictive betting among vulnerable groups.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah echoed her sentiments and warned against the unchecked promotion of gambling in mainstream media, especially during hours when children are watching or listening.
“We must have laws like this that discourage irresponsible gambling. It is okay to gamble and bet for the first time, but it cannot be every day of your life. It cannot be usual that so many radio and TV stations were free to encourage the public to bet from as early as 5am,” Ichung’wah said.
The renewed parliamentary focus comes just two weeks after the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) proposed stricter industry-wide reforms. According to BCLB Director Peter Mbugi, gambling sites will soon require users to submit selfies holding their national ID cards for identity verification.
Mbugi also proposed a Ksh50 million capital threshold for small betting shops and a Ksh5 billion minimum for public gaming operators like casinos. These changes, he said, aim to weed out unregulated actors and promote responsible gambling.
“For a small-scale betting shop, the BCLB is proposing a minimum capital investment of Ksh50 million. For public gaming operators like casinos, the draft proposed Bill aims to raise the requirement to Ksh5 billion,” Mbugi stated.
If passed, the Gambling Control Bill would not only introduce stiffer entry requirements and penalties for non-compliant operators but also establish clear guidelines for advertisements, targeting both operators and media outlets.
