Govt responds to reports of Kenyans spending billions on gambling in 2024
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), which regulates and licenses betting, gaming, and public lotteries, dismissed the figure as exaggerated and misleading.
The government has reacted to recent media reports that raised alarm over the state of gambling in Kenya, which claimed that Kenyans spent Sh766 billion on betting in 2024.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), which regulates and licenses betting, gaming, and public lotteries, dismissed the figure as exaggerated and misleading.
BCLB Chairperson Jane Mwikali Makau clarified that taxes from the gambling sector, which include gaming and betting taxes, excise duty on stakes, and withholding tax on winnings, amounted to Sh22.3 billion for the 2023/24 financial year.
Makau explained that the reported Ksh766 billion in spending, which represents approximately 31 percent of the national revenue, "misrepresents the size of the regulated market" and likely includes amounts spent on offshore (unlicensed) platforms.
"This misleads policymakers and the public on the economic reality of licensed operators," she said
Makau defended the betting industry, highlighting that it directly provides employment to over 10,000 Kenyans, supports more than 500,000 livelihoods indirectly, and contributes to community projects through corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The betting regulator also noted that the sector is expected to generate Sh20 billion in 2025 from excise duty, withholding tax, and betting and gaming taxes.
Makau described the growth as "robust but regulated," emphasizing that these figures highlight both the popularity of licensed gambling and the crucial need for ongoing, stringent oversight.
She further noted that this oversight will be reinforced with the passage of the Gambling Control Bill, 2023, which is currently in the legislative process.