In the quiet offices of Vala Towers on Biashara Street sits Ah Kum Limited, a company whose official records state its primary business is “Real Estate.” Yet, if you look at your phone screen, Ah Kum Limited isn’t selling you a house—it’s harassing you to bet.
Operating under the trade name JetBet, this entity has raised serious questions about how a “Real Estate” firm secured a coveted betting license (BK 0001380) and, more importantly, how it obtained the private mobile numbers of thousands of Kenyans it now spams daily.
According to CR12 records, Ah Kum Limited is owned by two individuals: Eric Muchiri Timothy (90 shares) and Henry Karani Mbogo (10 shares). Registered in August 2023, the company’s objective was clear: Real Estate.
However, a cross-check with the BCLB’s 2025/2026 licensed operators list shows JetBet (owned by Ah Kum LTD) is fully cleared for gaming. This raises a fundamental regulatory question: Did the BCLB conduct due diligence on the “Nature of Business” change? Under Kenyan law, a company must align its registered objectives with its operational license.
Users have reported receiving random calls from unregistered numbers all linked to JetBet, including
0709255624
0100994933
On its websites, jetbe.ke and jetbet.co.ke, JetBet lists customer support numbers such as +254726123444, registered under Nicholas Koech. This raises concerns about the legality of how these numbers were obtained, why they are not registered, and why Jetbet is harvesting personal data and misusing it for marketing and harassment.
These “random” calls are a legal landmine. If you never signed up for JetBet, how did they get your number?
This points to one of two things: a “bought” database from a third party or illegal scraping of mobile money data.
Cold-calling is a direct violation of Section 25 of the Data Protection Act, which grants Kenyans the “Right to be Informed” before their data is processed.
With online gambling on the rise in Kenya, platforms like JetBet highlight potential gaps in regulation. Consumers deserve protection from harassment and misuse of personal data, and regulators must ensure licenses are issued to transparent, legitimate operators.
JetBet represents the “wild west” of the Kenyan betting industry. While the government focuses on taxing the winnings, it is failing to audit the source of the players. If Ah Kum Limited is truly a real estate firm, perhaps the BCLB should investigate if they are building houses—or just a house of cards built on stolen data.
As of early 2026, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) is transitioning into the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), and this “shady” approval is exactly what the new Gambling Control Act 2025 was supposed to fix.
Late last year, President William Ruto appointed former Kipkelion East MP Joseph Kirui Limo as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), effective October 24, 2025. Kirui replaced Jane Mwikali Makau. The new GRA board members — Emma Wambui Mbugua, Anne Derasso Illo, Fredrick Odumo Nying’uro, and Valarie Angela Akinyi Lomosi should not just sit in the office streaming movies and watching TikToks.
