What advertising rules apply to online casinos in Kenya?
An advert for a gambling activity needs prior approval from the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Act s.87(1), Advertising Regulations r.5). It must carry set warnings and licence details (r.8) and must not contain a call to action, income claims or appeals to minors (r.9). Breaches are offences (s.87(4), r.14).
The short answer
In Kenya an online casino advert is not a free-form marketing message. Section 87(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 bars anyone from promoting a gambling activity on electronic medium or any other form of communication without the approval of the Authority, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA).
The detail sits in the Gambling Control (Advertising) Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 114 of 2026), made under section 87(3) of the Act. This guide summarises those texts for readers who want to know what a licensed casino's advert may and may not contain. It is not legal advice.
What counts as an advertisement
Regulation 2 defines an advertisement as any form of communication that promotes or is intended to promote participation in a gambling activity, whether by print, broadcast, outdoor, electronic or digital media. The definition of gambling activity includes casinos. Regulation 4 applies the rules to all gambling activities except the National Lottery.
The test is the purpose of the communication, not the format. A banner, a social post, a sponsored event and a billboard all fall under the same definition when they promote taking part in gambling.
Approval comes before publication
Regulation 5 sets the route. The applicant uses Form 1 in the First Schedule, which asks for the GRA licence number, the licence type, the advertising mode, the campaign duration, the target audience and the counties of dissemination. The application goes in at least seven days before the intended start date, with the fee, the full text and the script or artwork.
The Authority may approve in writing, approve with conditions, or reject in writing with reasons within seven days of its decision. It keeps a register of approved advertisements. Under regulation 7, an approved electronic advert is then sent to the Kenya Film Classification Board for classification, and media owners must check that an advert is both approved and classified before carrying it.
The wider licensing picture is covered in what the law requires from an online casino in Kenya.
What an approved advert must contain
Regulation 8 lists the content that must appear. The advert must be legible, visible and clearly audible where applicable, and it must show the following.
| Required element | Provision |
|---|---|
| Licence number of the licensee | r.8(c)(i) |
| Responsible gambling message, including "gambling is addictive" or "play responsibly" | r.8(c)(ii); Act s.87(2)(a), (b) |
| Name and address of the licensee | r.8(c)(iii) |
| Customer-care number of the licensee | r.8(c)(iv) |
| Toll-free helpline number or website for counselling and responsible gambling information | r.8(c)(v) |
| The words "authorized and regulated by the Gambling Regulatory Authority" | r.8(c)(vi) |
| A statement that children are prohibited from playing | r.8(b)(iii); Act s.87(2)(c) |
A licence number shown in an advert is something a reader can test. How to check an online casino licence in Kenya explains how to compare it with the GRA list.
What an advert must not do
Regulation 9 is a list of prohibitions. Regulation 6(1)(c) adds content limits for licensees. Taken together they cover the following.
| Prohibited content or placement | Provision |
|---|---|
| A call-to-action message | r.9(a) |
| Association of gambling with celebrities or social success | r.9(b) |
| Gambling shown as a source of investment or income | r.9(c); r.6(1)(c)(i) |
| Content that appeals to minors, or depictions of people who appear under eighteen | r.9(d); r.6(1)(c)(iii) |
| Testimonials and former winners | r.9(e), (f) |
| False, misleading or deceptive messages creating an erroneous positive impression | r.9(g); Act s.87(2)(d) |
| Gambling portrayed as glamorous, heroic or without risk | r.6(1)(c)(ii) |
| Endorsement by public officers, teachers, clergy or other persons of public trust | r.6(1)(c)(iv) |
| Jingles and hooks | r.9(j) |
| Television or radio between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., unless during a live sporting event | r.9(h); Act s.87(2)(e) |
| Billboards in close proximity to a learning institution | r.9(i); Act s.87(2)(f) |
Section 87(1)(d) of the Act also names the use of a prominent personality or celebrity, public vehicle or lifestyle advertising to promote gambling, and section 87(1)(e) names sponsorship of sporting, cultural or entertainment events, among the things that need the Authority's approval.
Where and how often adverts may appear
Placement rules differ by medium, and the numbers below are the ones stated in the Regulations.
| Medium | Rule | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor | Only electronic or digital billboards, in locations the Authority approves; a maximum of two advertisements per hour on a screen | r.10(1) to (3) |
| Outdoor signs | Not within 200 metres of a learning institution, place of worship or children's recreational area; not on public transport vehicles or stations; not on walls, buildings or street poles | r.10(4) |
| Sports sections of newspapers only, and not more than twice in any week; at least 20 per cent of the bottom of the artwork reserved for a responsible gambling message, a licence number and the age restriction | r.11 | |
| Roadshows | No person shall advertise gambling through roadshows | r.12(1) |
| Audiences | Not in children's publications or on platforms whose audience is predominantly minors | r.6(1)(d) |
The Conduct of Gambling Operations Regulations, 2026 add that the Authority approves online gambling advertising only if it does not target minors or vulnerable persons and does not suggest gambling is a solution to a financial problem (reg 46). Regulation 60(1) of the same Regulations bars displaying, publishing or broadcasting a gambling advertisement within 200 metres of a learning institution.
Records, monitoring and penalties
Regulation 13 says the Authority monitors all media channels and may direct a licensee, broadcaster, publisher or advertiser to withdraw or amend non-compliant material immediately. A licensee must keep copies of all advertisements and records of approval for at least three years.
Two penalty provisions apply to unapproved or prohibited adverts. Regulation 14 sets a fine not exceeding one million shillings, imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. Section 87(4) of the Act sets a fine not exceeding twenty million shillings, imprisonment not exceeding twenty years, or both. The texts read for this guide do not say which applies to a particular case, so the actual charge and sentence are for a court. The penalties for operating without a licence are in what happens to an unlicensed online casino in Kenya.
The approval fee, worked through
The Second Schedule lists an application fee of KES 50,000 and an approval for advertising fee of 6% of the budget.
Illustrative example: for a campaign budget of KES 2,000,000, 6% of the budget is 2,000,000 x 0.06 = KES 120,000. Adding the KES 50,000 application fee gives 50,000 + 120,000 = KES 170,000. The budget figure is invented for the arithmetic and is not drawn from any real campaign.
What this means for a reader
A licensed operator's advert should therefore show a licence number, the GRA wording and a helpline. An advert that urges you to act now, shows winners, or presents gambling as a way to earn or solve money problems breaches the Regulations on their face. Whether a given advert was approved is a question for the Authority, which keeps the register of approved adverts.
Section 92(c) separately makes it an offence to publish or solicit any person to bet in an unlicensed gambling activity or site. Whether an operator is licensed is answered by the GRA list, and whether online casinos are legal in Kenya is set out in its own guide.
A note on risk
Gambling is addictive and is for adults aged 18+. Play responsibly. A person who has self-excluded should not receive casino marketing (reg 70(7)(c) of the Conduct Regulations). The responsible gambling page lists the GRA toll-free line and the self-exclusion process.
Questions and answers
Does an advert for an online casino need approval in Kenya?
Yes. Section 87(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 says a person shall not, without the approval of the Authority, promote the advertisement of a gambling activity on electronic medium or any other form of communication. Regulation 5 of the Advertising Regulations repeats this and sets the application route.
What must an approved casino advert show?
Regulation 8 lists the licence number of the licensee, a responsible gambling message including "gambling is addictive" or "play responsibly", the licensee's name and address, a customer-care number, a toll-free helpline number or a counselling website, and the words "authorized and regulated by the Gambling Regulatory Authority".
Can an advert tell people to sign up or play?
No. Regulation 9(a) says a gambling advertisement shall not have a call-to-action message.
Can casino adverts use celebrities, testimonials or winners?
Not under regulation 9: it bars associating gambling with celebrities or social success, using testimonials, and featuring former winners. Regulation 6(1)(c)(iv) also bars endorsements by public officers, teachers, clergy or other persons of public trust.
What is the penalty for publishing an unapproved gambling advert?
Regulation 14 sets a fine not exceeding one million shillings, imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. Section 87(4) of the Act separately sets a fine not exceeding twenty million shillings, imprisonment not exceeding twenty years, or both, for contravening section 87. A court decides the actual sentence.
Can a person who has self-excluded still receive casino marketing?
No. Regulation 70(7)(c) of the Conduct of Gambling Operations Regulations, 2026 says a person whose name is in the self-exclusion register shall not be allowed to receive promotions or marketing material from a licensee.
Sources
- Gambling Control Act, 2025 (No. 14 of 2025), ss.87 and 92, accessed 2026-10-12
- The Gambling Control (Advertising) Regulations, 2026 (L.N. 114 of 2026), regs 2, 5 to 14 and Second Schedule, accessed 2026-10-12
- The Gambling Control (Conduct of Gambling Operations) Regulations, 2026, regs 46, 60 and 70, accessed 2026-10-12