The government has proposed a new bill that would set the minimum amount for online gambling at KES 20, an increase that could affect millions of Kenyans who engage in the popular activity.
The Draft Gambling Control Bill, 2023, which is open for public comment, aims to regulate the online gambling industry and protect players from addiction and exploitation.
According to the bill, the KES 20 minimum bet would include a saving component for the player, to be determined by the Gambling Regulatory Authority in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary.
Read more: Kenya’s Betting Industry Revenues Fall by Kshs 240 billion
“A player in an online gambling activity shall not bet an amount of less than twenty shillings in a competition. The minimum amount set under subsection (1) shall be inclusive of such saving component for the player as shall be determined by the Authority in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary,” the bill reads in part.
The bill also imposes a hefty penalty for operators who allow players to bet less than the prescribed amount. Such operators would face a fine of not less than KES 5 million or imprisonment for up to six years.
The bill comes as online gambling has become a booming business in Kenya, with Kenyans staking a record KES 88.5 billion through online bets in the year ending June 2023.
The online gambling craze has also boosted the Kenya Revenue Authority, which collected KES 6.64 billion in excise taxes alone from the new 7.5 percent tax on wagered amounts.
Read more: KRA Sustains Growth in Tax Collection as Revenues Surpass the Kshs 2 Trillion Mark
However, online gambling has also raised concerns about its social and economic impacts, especially on youth who are the majority of players. Some critics argue online gambling fuels poverty, crime, debt and mental health problems among vulnerable groups.
The draft bill seeks to address some of these issues by introducing measures such as responsible gambling, player protection, self-exclusion, age verification and anti-money laundering.
The public has until October 15 to submit views on the bill to the Betting Control and Licensing Board, mandated to regulate all forms of gambling in Kenya. The bill will then be presented to Parliament for debate and approval before becoming law.
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