PG licence or BK licence: what is the difference?
On the Gambling Regulatory Authority's list, BK is the bookmaker licence number and PG is the public gaming licence number, the one for table games and slot machines. A company can hold both, so a BK number alone does not show a casino licence.
The short answer
PG and BK are two licence columns on the regulator's list of licensed gaming companies for the 2025/26 trading period. BK holds a bookmaker licence number. PG holds a public gaming licence number, which the Act words as public gambling for conducting a table game and operating a slot machine.
They are different licences with different numbers. For a casino question, the PG column is the one to read, as explained in the entry on the meaning of a public gaming licence.
What each licence covers in the law
Section 28(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 says no person may offer a gambling activity unless it is licensed under the Act. Section 28(2) then lists the licences the Authority issues, and it names public gambling for a table game and slot machine in paragraph (a), bookmaking in paragraph (c) and online gambling in paragraph (i).
The Act defines a bookmaker as a person who carries on the business of receiving and negotiating bets. It defines a casino as a premise, or an approved virtual or online platform or site, where a person may take part in a game approved by the Authority.
Section 58 lists bookmaker licences: on the course, off the course, both, and an online bookmakers licence. Online gambling is dealt with in section 67, which names three licences: online bookmakers, online lottery and online casino.
PG and BK side by side
| Point | BK (bookmaker) | PG (public gaming) |
|---|---|---|
| What the column holds | A bookmaker licence number or "Nil" | A public gaming licence number or "Nil" |
| Activity in Act s.28(2) | Bookmaking, para (c) | Public gambling for a table game and slot machine, para (a) |
| Licence form in the Licensing Regulations | Headed "Bookmaker Licence" | Headed "Public Gambling Licence (Casino)" |
| Online counterpart in Act s.67(1) | Online bookmakers licence | Online casino licence |
| Licence duration (Fourth Schedule) | Bookmaking: 3 years | Casino: 3 years |
| Land-based gambling capital (Third Schedule) | KES 50,000,000 (on the course) | KES 100,000,000 (casino) |
| Online gambling capital (Third Schedule) | KES 100,000,000 | KES 100,000,000 |
The Fourth Schedule lists "Online gambling" as its own line with a duration of one year for a new licence and for a renewal. The list does not say how that line maps to the BK and PG columns, so ask the Authority before relying on a duration for a particular company.
What the money figures show
The Second Schedule of the Licensing Regulations, 2026 sets fees by licence. The Act's Third Schedule sets the security a licensee must deposit as an insurance bond or bank guarantee (s.40(1)): KES 20,000,000 for casinos including public gambling for tables and slot machines, and KES 100,000,000 for online gambling.
Illustrative example: the fees named in the online licence table for an online bookmaker and an online casino are the same. Application fee KES 5,000,000 plus licence fee KES 50,000,000 gives KES 55,000,000 for each. For a land-based bookmaker on the course the table lists KES 2,500,000 plus KES 5,000,000, which is KES 7,500,000.
The point is only that the law prices the online versions of the two licences alike. It does not say anything about the quality of any licence holder.
How the two columns combine on the list
A company is not limited to one column. The snapshot of the list read on 2026-10-04 has 187 lines, and the licence columns combine as follows.
| Combination | Lines | Step |
|---|---|---|
| Both BK and PG numbers | 52 | Counted |
| BK number, PG "Nil" | 95 | Counted |
| PG number, BK "Nil" | 33 | Counted |
| Neither BK nor PG | 7 | Counted |
| Total | 187 | 52 + 95 + 33 + 7 |
Check against the column totals: BK is 52 + 95 = 147 lines and PG is 52 + 33 = 85 lines. The 7 lines with neither number are not an error. Those lines carry neither a BK nor a PG number, so read the other columns of the list for them.
Reading a line before you trust a site
- Find the company name on the list, then match the trading name and the domain to the address in your browser.
- For casino games, look for a number in the PG column on that line. Do not treat a BK number as a casino licence.
- Note the status and the date the page was last modified. The regulator's page was last modified on 2026-03-19, and it describes the 2025/26 period.
- Open the live list again and compare. The steps are set out in the guide on how to check an online casino licence in Kenya.
The column headings themselves are explained in how to read the GRA list of licensed operators. The filtered copy of lines that hold a PG number and a domain is in the table of casino brands on the GRA list.
What the list cannot tell you
The published list does not state which games a licence covers, when it expires, or whether it has been suspended. Section 39(1) of the Act describes a register that records the activity, the counties, the date of expiry and any suspension or revocation, but the web page shows only part of that.
A bookmaker licence can matter for other reasons, such as sports betting. The definition of an online bookmaker in section 2 is wide and mentions virtual games and virtual sports, so the safest reading is that the list alone cannot settle what a BK line allows. The Authority can confirm it, and the duties that apply to casinos online are set out in what Kenyan law requires of an online casino.
Gambling is addictive. Play responsibly, and keep to 18+ rules: the Act requires operators to keep out persons under the age of majority.
Questions and answers
Does a BK number mean a company may run a casino?
Not on the list alone. BK records a bookmaker licence. Section 28(2) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 treats public gambling for table games and slot machines, bookmaking and online gambling as separate licensed activities. Only the Authority can say what a particular licence permits.
Can one company hold both a PG and a BK number?
Yes. In the snapshot read on 2026-10-04, 52 of the 187 lines showed a number in both columns, 95 showed BK only, 33 showed PG only and 7 showed neither.
Which number should I look for when checking a casino site?
Look for a number in the PG column on the line whose company name and listed domain match the site. A BK number on the same line is a separate licence and does not replace it.
Do PG and BK licences cost the same?
For the online versions the Second Schedule of the Licensing Regulations, 2026 lists the same figures for a bookmaker and a casino: application KES 5,000,000 and licence KES 50,000,000. Land-based figures are set separately, as the worked example in the guide shows for a bookmaker on the course.
Are PG and BK the names used in the Act?
No. PG and BK are column headings on the regulator's list. The Act speaks of a public gambling licence for a table game and slot machine, a bookmaker's licence, and online bookmakers, lottery and casino licences.
Does the list show when a PG or BK licence expires?
No. The published list has no expiry date, suspension or revocation column, although section 39 of the Act describes a register that records them. Check the live page and ask the Authority.
Sources
- Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya, Licensed gaming companies for the trading period 2025/26, accessed 2026-10-05
- Gambling Control Act, 2025 (No. 14 of 2025), ss.2, 28, 39, 40, 58, 67 and Third Schedule, accessed 2026-10-05
- Gambling Control (Licensing) Regulations, 2026 (L.N. 111), r.4, r.5, r.11 and First to Fourth Schedules, accessed 2026-10-05