This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
Kenya's Gaming Bill, currently under debate in Parliament, aims to curb the rapid growth of online gambling among the young and vulnerable.
According to the Bill, bets below Sh50 on online gambling will be declared illegal, with those in breach facing a fine of not less than Sh5 million or a jail term not exceeding six years.
The proposed law also seeks to establish a real-time monitoring system accessible to the Communications Authority of Kenya to facilitate remote tracking of gaming transactions.
Kenya's gaming industry has grown substantially over the last five years, reaching Sh200 billion ($1.98 billion) from Sh2 billion, employing 5,000 people in the process.
Industry executives say about seven million out of 45 million Kenyans have registered for betting services, with 76 per cent of Kenyan youth engaged in betting, according to a recent survey by Geopoll.
As part of efforts to curb the growth in the industry, Kenya is imposing a new tax on betting firms and gamblers, restricting advertising of gambling, and banning it between 6am and 10pm, as well as celebrity endorsements.
Services like M-Pesa by Safaricom allow users to place bets, pay off losses, and get winnings on their phone without needing a bank account.
“A player in an online gaming activity shall not bet an amount of less than Sh50 in a competition,” says the Bill.
“Those who engage in an online gaming activity for an amount than that prescribed under subsection (1) commit an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not less than Sh5m or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six years.”
