The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) had banned and fined Yahweh Media Services, the government agency has said, barely 24 hours after an exposé on the media house regarding gambling-related advertisements.
In a statement on the evening of Monday, May 26, the authority revealed that despite an earlier ban on gambling advertisements by media houses, some entities continued with the practice, risking fines and revocation of their licenses.
According to CA, notices of violation were issued on March 13, 2025, to 33 broadcasters accused of airing unlicensed gambling-related promotions. This was followed by a sector-wide advisory on April 23, instructing all broadcasters to cease airing gambling-related content.
"Even with the directives to suspend advertising of all gambling-related content, a review by the Authority in the second week of May 2025 revealed the continued airing of such prohibited content by some broadcasters, in blatant disregard of sector laws and directives," the authority said in the statement.
The media station, which was found to be airing gambling adverts despite CA's advisory, was subsequently slapped with a penalty of Ksh500,000 alongside eight other non-compliant broadcasters.
CA also gave the broadcasters 12 hours to cease the non-compliant gambling content or risk further sanctions, which will include license revocation.
"Consequently, in line with Section 83A of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, the Authority instituted a notice to issue a penalty of Ksh500,000.00 to eight (8) non-compliant broadcasters for airing unlicensed price competition promotions, with a 12-hour ultimatum to cease all non-compliant broadcasts or face additional sanctions, including license revocation," CA added.
The CA's move came barely 24 hours after a worrying exposé by NTV, which brought to light a worrying trend of media stations primarily meant to air gospel content sneaking in conspicuous gambling advertisements to their faithful viewers.
Titled Sacred Swindle: Inside the Gospel of Greed on Kenya’s Airwaves, the report exposed the proliferation of fraudulent religious programming on Kenyan media platforms.
One pastor who openly spoke to a reporter in the explosive report revealed that on a good day, their station can make as much as Ksh700,000 solely from oblivious Kenyans who play the raffle games with the hopes of winning thousands in cash.
The report also alleged that certain televangelists and religious broadcasters exploit faith to solicit money from viewers, often under the guise of miracles, blessings, or divine intervention.
While the programmes typically promise financial breakthroughs to vulnerable audiences under the guise of miracles, blessings, or divine intervention, the televangelist programmes have devised new ways of sneaking gambling advertisements to their oblivious viewers, sparking concern and calls for stricter oversight and accountability to protect consumers from such exploitative content.
