Kenya’s Betting Industry Faces a Major Shake-Up - Here’s What I Think

Having worked as an igaming specialist for over 8 years, the latest developments from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) are perhaps the most significant and disruptive I’ve seen yet. I’ve watched the sector evolve over the past decade from humble beginnings with simple SMS-based sports betting to the now flashy online platforms, celebrity endorsements, and aggressive marketing.

On May 29, 2025, the BCLB, which operates under the Office of the President, officially banned celebrities, influencers, and content creators from advertising or promoting gambling in Kenya. This move came on the heels of a 30-day suspension of all gambling ads across media platforms, which was a bold reset aimed at regulating the industry more strictly and promoting responsible gambling.

The Reason for the Ban

According to the BCLB, this drastic measure was taken to curb the glamorization of gambling and to protect vulnerable groups, especially minors, from being drawn into betting through flashy marketing. The government is also keen on preventing gambling from being portrayed as a shortcut to wealth or a socially endorsed career path.

In addition to the ban, new advertising rules were laid out. Any gambling ad must now include the BCLB license number, a clear responsible gambling message, the operator’s full name and address, a working customer support contact, and the phrase “authorized and regulated by the Betting Control and Licensing Board.” Ads must be pre-approved by both the BCLB and the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), and media houses have to verify this before airing or publishing anything.

The Fallout for Stakeholders

For celebrities and influencers, this is a massive financial blow. Many of them had multi-million shilling contracts with betting firms, pushing brands to millions of followers on social media and national TV. Those contracts are now void, and the influencer marketing machine within the gambling industry has effectively ground to a halt.

Betting operators now find themselves in uncharted territory. They can no longer rely on the glitz and glam of celebrities to attract attention. Compliance requirements are stricter than ever, and there’s now a higher risk of fines or worse for any missteps.

As for media houses, this regulation puts them in a tight spot too. The lucrative gambling ad spend that helped many stations stay afloat during economic downturns is now on pause, and future ads will need to jump through several regulatory hoops.

Why Affiliate Marketing Is Now the Next Big Thing

In my view, this crackdown is going to force Kenyan betting sites to finally take affiliate marketing more seriously, and that’s not a bad thing.

Unlike influencer marketing, which is often based on short-term visibility and mass appeal, affiliate marketing operates on a performance basis. Affiliates, who are often bloggers, comparison sites, or betting tipsters earn commissions based on how many users they refer who go on to place bets or sign up for accounts. It’s targeted, trackable, and often more compliant with advertising regulations if done right.

For years, most Kenyan betting sites underutilized affiliate programs. Many focused on big celebrity endorsements and above-the-line marketing because it gave faster results. But with those tools now unavailable, affiliate programs may become the most practical way to maintain customer acquisition pipelines.

Properly managed affiliate relationships also allow for more controlled messaging. Affiliates can be educated on responsible gambling guidelines and forced to comply with regulatory requirements through program terms. With authorities like the BCLB watching closely, I believe that this level of control and transparency could be the lifeline betting companies need to keep growing legally.

More importantly, affiliate marketing opens the door for regional and niche strategies. Betting firms can work with sports bloggers in Kisumu, local football fan pages in Mombasa, or gaming YouTubers in Nairobi who write informed content instead of just flashing logos or flashy giveaways. It’s more organic, educational, and sustainable in the long run.

A Brief Look Back at the Gambling Regulation Scene in Kenya

This isn’t the first time Kenya’s gambling industry has come under heavy scrutiny. Just last month, in April 2025, the BCLB suspended all gambling advertisements across all media platforms. That move, too, was grounded in concerns over addiction, youth exposure, and misleading representations of gambling as a form of investment.

To support these efforts, a multi-agency enforcement task force was established, bringing together representatives from the Ministry of Interior, KRA, Communications Authority, DCI, KFCB, Media Council, and the Financial Reporting Centre. Their goal is to design enforcement strategies and policies that will shape the future of gambling in Kenya, and they’re clearly not messing around.

Where Do We Go From Here?

As someone deeply embedded in this industry, I see the current shift not just as a challenge but as an opportunity for transformation.

We’ve long known that over-reliance on celebrity endorsements made the betting scene feel more like showbiz than a regulated industry. The new framework forces everyone, including operators, advertisers, marketers, and even bettors, to take a more responsible, mature approach to gambling.

Kenyan online casinos now need to innovate within the limits of the law. Affiliate marketing, compliance-driven campaigns, and data-backed marketing strategies will have to replace impulse-driven celebrity hype. I believe this is a wake-up call to build sustainable operations rather than just chase short-term user acquisition.

From a policy perspective, this is also a bold step toward a safer betting environment that might, in time, restore public confidence and attract more serious investment into the sector.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I believe that in the short term, these rules are going to hurt. However, in the long term, they could ultimately prove to be the best thing that has ever happened to Kenya’s gambling industry. They’ll force us to grow up, get smart, and start running operations that put users’ wellbeing and compliance first.

And who knows? If done right, this pivot away from overglorified endorsements and toward ethical and performance-driven marketing, such as affiliate partnerships, could make our industry not only safer but also more profitable and respected globally.