On 29^th May 2025, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (“BCLB”), in collaboration with various governmental and regulatory bodies, including the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), developed new guidelines to regulate gambling advertisements.

This follows the BCLB’s announcement on 29^th April 2025, suspending all gambling advertisements across media platforms for thirty days.

Approval Requirements

Under the new guidelines, all marketing communications related to gambling must receive express approval from the BCLB and classification by the KFCB before they can be distributed or exhibited.  This requirement is part of a broader effort to ensure that gambling advertisements adhere to strict standards designed to safeguard public welfare.

Advertising Guidelines

The guidelines stipulate that all gambling advertisements must be submitted to the BCLB for approval in accordance with the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act CAP 131. Following this, they must be forwarded to the KFCB for classification under the Films and Stage Plays Act CAP 222 before being distributed.  Media owners and agencies are responsible for ensuring that all gambling advertisements are approved and classified before distribution on their platforms.  Additionally, all media outlets must adhere to the Code of Conduct for Media Practices, 2025, when carrying out gambling advertisements.  Further, the guidelines prohibit any form of advertisement near schools, religious institutions, or places frequently visited by children, such as playgrounds and shopping malls.

Elements Required for Advertisement Approval

To obtain approval for gambling advertisements, operators must meet several prerequisites:

• Licensing: Operators must be duly licensed by the BCLB before seeking advertisement approval.

• Content Restrictions: Advertisements must not glamorize betting or use celebrities, influencers, or content creators to endorse or promote gambling.

• Mandatory Inclusions: All gambling advertisements must include the following elements:

• The BCLB license number.
• A responsible gambling message, such as “Gambling is addictive! Play responsibly!”.
• A statement indicating the minimum age requirement: “not for persons under 18 years of age”.
• The name and address of the operator.
• A customer-care number displayed or mentioned at all times.
• The words “authorized and regulated by the Betting Control and Licensing Board” displayed or mentioned at all times.
• Prohibitions: Advertisements must not include a call-to-action message, associate gambling with celebrities or social success, or depict gambling as a source of income.

Any violations of the new gambling advertisement guidelines will trigger strict penalties included but not limited to suspension of operator licenses. To access the full information click here

Please contact us at info@cfllegal.com should you require further information.