Kenya cracks down on gambling ads and issues bold 30-day ban

Kenyan regulators have instigated a sweeping one-month ban on all gambling advertising across every media format, from TV and radio, through to social media, influencers, and even SMS.

The ban comes after reports revealed the scale of the problem gambling in the nation.

An advertising blackout implemented on Tuesday will last 30 days from April 29 and is designed to counter the rise in misleading promotions and unchecked advertising within the country.

While the measure may seem extreme, misleading advertising is frequently banned elsewhere, too. One such example involved PokerStars, which had an influencer ad banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) earlier this year.

Led by the Kenyan Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), the announcement of the ban was triggered by the overwhelming number of gambling-related ads aired during the 5am–10 pm watershed period. Chairwoman Jane Mwikali Makau also referenced the “rampant” exposure the practice had in reaching children and vulnerable groups in the country.

In addition to the ban, in future, all betting operators will be forced to submit their ad content to the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) for approval. Normally tasked with determining movie ratings in the nation’s cinemas, the KFCB is now charged with also adjudicating gambling advertisement content before it hits the public airwaves.

Industry experts in the country say the advertising ban is just the start, with the BCLB actively seeking a more impactful long-term strategy.

As a result, a new multi-agency task force has also recently been set up to tackle what officials are calling “irresponsible gambling”.

Incorporating law enforcement, gambling regulators, tax authorities, and the media council, its agency coalition demonstrates that Kenya is determined to get a grip on the situation.

However, this isn’t the first time Kenyan authorities have clamped down on the sector. In fact, in 2022, the BCLB told gambling organisations to cease operations during the country’s national elections, although the directive was widely ignored at the time.

Nevertheless, if successful, Kenya’s all-encompassing crack down on gambling advertising could have a wider ranging impact beyond its own borders. As many other African nations continue to grapple with gambling’s widespread popularity, the KFCB move could inspire other national regulators to soon follow suit.