BCLB licence or GRA licence: which name applies to a casino now?

The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) is the licensing body now. The Gambling Control Act, 2025 made it the successor of the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB). A licence issued under the old law stays valid only until its own end date, then the holder must apply to the GRA.

By Online Casino Kenya Editorial (prepared with AI tools under our editorial policy) · Last updated 2026-10-17

The short answer

The licensing body for casinos in Kenya is the Gambling Regulatory Authority, usually written GRA. The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) was the body under the earlier law, and the new Act names the GRA as its successor.

So "BCLB licence" is the old name and "GRA licence" is the current one. When you check a casino, you look the company up on the list kept by the GRA, as described in how to read the GRA list of licensed operators.

What the Act says about the change

Section 6(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 establishes the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya. Section 6(3) says the Authority is the successor of the Betting Control and Licensing Board established under the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act.

Section 120 repeals that earlier Act, listed in the Act as Cap. 131. Section 121(2) transfers all rights, duties, obligations, assets and liabilities of the former Board to the Authority, and treats any reference to the former Board in a contract or document as a reference to the Authority.

The Act defines "former Board" in section 121(1) as the Betting Control and Licensing Board existing immediately before the commencement of the Act.

What happens to a licence issued under the old law

Section 122(1) says gambling activities, including casinos and online gambling, whose licences were issued under the repealed Act remain valid for the period of the licence. Section 122(2) says the person must, on expiry of that licence, apply to the Authority for a new licence.

The Licensing Regulations, 2026 add a shorter step. Regulation 30(1) keeps a licence issued under the repealed Act in force for sixty days from the date of publication of the Regulations, and regulation 30(2) requires the holder to apply for the appropriate licence within that period. Regulation 30(3) says a pending application made under the repealed Act is decided under the new Regulations.

The two provisions are worded differently, and the sources read here do not say how they fit together. Do not assume a particular end date for any company: ask the Authority.

Old name and new name side by side

Where the old name still appears

The regulator's contact details are a common source of confusion. The GRA's published general email address and its self-exclusion email address both use the bclb.go.ke domain, while the website is gra.go.ke.

A casino site may also still use the older name in a footer or in a terms page. That wording is the operator's own text and does not make the BCLB a licensing body. The test is whether the licence number can be matched to a line on the current list.

Steps to check which name applies

1. Note the company name, trading name and licence number the site displays, wherever it shows them.
2. Open the GRA list at gra.go.ke/licensed-operators/ and find the company. For casino games read the PG column, as explained in PG licence or BK licence: what is the difference.
3. Match the listed domain to the address in your browser. The brands that carry a PG number and a domain are in the table of casino brands on the GRA list.
4. If the site calls itself "BCLB licensed" and the company is not on the list, treat the claim as unverified and ask the Authority.
5. For the full routine, follow how to check an online casino licence in Kenya.

Reading three common claims

Illustrative example: a site footer says "licensed by the BCLB". This is an old-name claim. It may reflect a licence issued under the repealed Act, which section 122(1) keeps valid for its period, or it may be stale wording, so the company still has to be found on the current list.

A second footer says "licensed by the Gambling Regulatory Authority" and gives a number. Match the number and the company name to the list, because the statement alone proves nothing. A third footer gives no regulator and no number at all, which leaves nothing to check and is a reason for caution.

Section 92(c) of the Act makes publishing or soliciting a person to bet in an unlicensed gambling activity or site an offence, so the licence position is worth settling before you open an account, not after.

What the list cannot tell you

The list shows BK, PG and PL licence numbers and a domain for each line. It has no column for the date of issue, the law under which a licence was issued, or the date a licence ends. The page was last modified on 2026-03-19 and describes the 2025/26 trading period, so it can be behind the live position.

How long a licence runs and what follows its end are covered in how long a GRA casino licence lasts. Gambling is addictive. Play responsibly, and keep to the 18+ rule.