How to self-exclude from online casinos in Kenya
Tell the operator you want to be excluded and notify the Gambling Regulatory Authority, by email to [email protected] or in person at its Nairobi office. Section 115 of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 then obliges the licensee to close your account, return your funds and stop all marketing to you.
What self-exclusion is in Kenyan law
Section 115(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 describes it as a voluntary agreement between a person and a licensee. It is open to a person who has recognised that their gambling is harmful to them, or that it is hard to limit the money or time spent on it. The agreement excludes the person from gambling establishments and controlled games, including online gambling.
It is one of several duties a licensee carries; the rest are listed in what Kenyan law requires of an online casino. Self-exclusion is the strongest of them from the player's side, because it cannot be reversed on impulse.
If you are thinking about it, that is usually reason enough to do it. The Authority's free line is 0800-723-770.
Step 1: use the exclusion option in the casino account
Regulation 67(3) of the Gambling Control (Conduct of Gambling Operations) Regulations, 2026 requires a licensee to provide a real-time self-exclusion mechanism on an online platform. Regulation 87(2) lists it among the tools every licensee must offer: an easy to access option for self-exclusion for a period of at least twenty-four hours.
Look in the account settings under headings such as "responsible gambling" or "limits". If you cannot find the option, write to customer care and state plainly that you request self-exclusion under section 115 of the Act. Regulation 67(1) says a licensee shall exclude any punter who has disclosed that gambling has affected his or her wellbeing.
Keep a copy of the request with its date. Section 115(5) makes it an offence for an operator to fail to implement a self-exclusion request within seven days of receipt of a written notification.
Step 2: notify the Authority
Section 115(2) says a person who enters a self-exclusion agreement shall notify the Authority of it. Under section 115(3) the Authority keeps a register of these notifications and notifies all licensees. This is the step that carries the exclusion beyond one operator.
The Authority's web page on the self-exclusion process gives two ways to start: visit its offices in person, or send an email to [email protected] stating your intent to self-exclude. The page says that verification of identity, including a photo and proof of address, is mandatory.
The 2026 Regulations add a form. Regulation 70(1) says a person who wishes to self-exclude shall complete Form 1 in the First Schedule, stating the period and attaching a copy of a national identification card or passport. Ask the Authority for the current form when you write.
Step 3: choose scope and period
Form 1 asks for your name, national ID or passport number, date of birth, address and telephone number. It then asks two questions that deserve a moment's thought.
| Question on Form 1 | Options printed on the form |
|---|---|
| Scope of exclusion | All licensed gambling operators in Kenya; land-based gambling premises only; remote or online gambling platforms only; specific operators named by the applicant |
| Period of exclusion | Six months; one year; two years; indefinite period |
The Authority's web page describes the period differently, as "typically ranging from 6 months to 5 years". The page uses older wording (its contact email is still on the former Board's domain), so treat the form as the current statement and ask the Authority which periods it applies.
Regulation 69(2) confirms that a person may apply for a specified period or for permanent exclusion. Regulation 71(1) says the exclusion remains in effect for the duration selected by the applicant.
What happens after you apply
Under regulation 70(3), upon receipt of a complete application the Authority shall acknowledge receipt within seven days, verify the identity of the applicant and enter the applicant's details into the registry. It then notifies the applicant in writing once the self-exclusion status takes effect.
From that point regulation 70(7) says a person whose name is in the register shall not be allowed to place a bet, open a gambling account, receive promotions or marketing material from a licensee, or claim gambling winnings.
The last item is worth reading twice. Gambling during an exclusion does not produce winnings you can keep. Regulation 74(1) requires the licensee to cancel any winnings obtained in contravention of the exclusion.
What the casino must do
| Duty of the licensee | Source | Time stated |
|---|---|---|
| Implement the self-exclusion request | Act, s.115(5) | Within seven days of receipt of a written notification |
| Remove the person's name and contact details from marketing databases | Act, s.115(4)(c) | Within two days of receiving the completed notification |
| Close the person's customer accounts and return any funds held | Act, s.115(4)(d) | Not stated |
| Prevent marketing material from reaching the person | Act, s.115(4)(b) | As soon as practicable |
| Automatically block all gambling activity by self-excluded persons | Operations Regulations, r.73(2) | Ongoing, with daily checks against the register (r.73(3)) |
| Refund any deposits made in violation of the exclusion | Operations Regulations, r.74(1)(b) | Within seven days |
| Report attempted gambling by a self-excluded person to the Authority | Operations Regulations, r.74(1)(d) | Immediately |
A licensee that accepts a wager from a self-excluded person is liable to refund all stakes to that person, to forfeit any winnings to the Authority and, for repeated violations, to suspension or revocation of its licence (r.74(2)).
If an operator keeps your account open or keeps sending promotions after the deadlines above, that is a matter for the Authority. The route is in how to complain about an online casino in Kenya.
You cannot leave early
The Authority's page states that exiting the programme before the exclusion period concludes is not permitted. Form 1 has the applicant confirm the same thing: the period selected cannot be revoked or shortened before its expiry.
Regulation 72(1) allows an application for removal or modification only after the specified exclusion period has expired. The application is made in writing, and the Authority may ask for more information before it decides. A person may also apply to renew or extend the period (r.71(2)).
This is the point of the tool. A decision made on a clear day is protected from a later urge to reverse it.
Other ways an exclusion can start
The Regulations provide three routes that do not depend on the gambler's own request.
- By the operator. Under regulation 75 a licensed operator may initiate exclusion where it reasonably believes a gambler shows signs of compulsive or harmful gambling or is gambling beyond their apparent financial means. It must tell the Authority within twenty-four hours.
- By a court. Under regulation 77 a court may issue an exclusion order, which binds all licensed operators.
- By family or an interested party. Under regulation 78 they may apply to the Authority where the person's gambling has caused or is likely to cause serious financial hardship, where the person poses a risk to dependants or family welfare, or where the person lacks capacity to make informed decisions because of gambling-related harm.
Smaller steps before full exclusion
Regulation 87 requires licensees to offer tools short of exclusion: deposit limits on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, loss, session and expenditure limits, and reality checks that show how long you have been playing. They are set inside the casino account.
Limits are useful if gambling is still under control. If it is not, a limit is easy to raise or to sidestep at another operator, and exclusion across all licensed operators is the more honest choice.
What exclusion does not cover
The register binds licensees. A site with no Kenyan licence does not check it, which is one more reason to know how the list of licensed casino brands is read. Exclusion from licensed operators is therefore not a complete barrier, and it works best together with support from people you trust.
Exclusion closes accounts and returns the balance. It does not return money already lost. For balances owed to you at the time of closure, the rules in online casino payout rules in Kenya apply.
The form itself points applicants to recognised health or social support providers for counselling. Talking to a doctor or a counsellor is a reasonable next step whatever period you choose.
Questions and answers
Can I end a self-exclusion early?
No. The Authority's self-exclusion page says exiting before the exclusion period concludes is not permitted, and Form 1 in the Conduct of Gambling Operations Regulations, 2026 asks the applicant to acknowledge that the period cannot be revoked or shortened before its expiry.
How long can a self-exclusion last?
The Authority's web page speaks of a period typically ranging from 6 months to 5 years. Form 1 in the 2026 Regulations offers six months, one year, two years or an indefinite period. Regulation 71(1) says the exclusion remains in effect for the duration the applicant selected.
What happens to the money in my casino account?
Section 115(4)(d) of the Act requires a licensee to close any customer accounts of a person who has entered a self-exclusion agreement and to return any funds held in the customer account.
Will casinos still send me promotions?
They must not. Under section 115(4)(c) a licensee must remove a self-excluded person's details from any marketing databases within two days of receiving the completed self-exclusion notification.
Can a family member ask for someone to be excluded?
Yes. Regulation 78 of the Conduct of Gambling Operations Regulations, 2026 lets a family member or other interested party apply to the Authority, for example where the person's gambling has caused or is likely to cause serious financial hardship. The Authority assesses the application and gives the person an opportunity to be heard where practicable.
Does self-exclusion cover every casino or just one?
Form 1 lets the applicant choose: all licensed gambling operators in Kenya, land-based premises only, remote or online platforms only, or specific operators. The Authority keeps the register and licensees must check against it.
Sources
- Gambling Control Act, 2025 (No. 14 of 2025), ss.72, 115, accessed 2026-10-04
- Gambling Control (Conduct of Gambling Operations) Regulations, 2026 (L.N. 112), r.67 to r.79, r.85, r.87 and First Schedule, Form 1, accessed 2026-10-04
- Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya, Self exclusion process, accessed 2026-10-04