President William Ruto has assented to the Gambling Control Bill 2023, which will see enhanced regulation of the gambling sector in the country.
The bill, which was assented to by the president on Thursday, August 7, will introduce more modernised oversight strategies in the gambling sector, including raising the minimum amount an individual can bet on an online site.
According to the bill, the minimum amount that one can place a bet on any gambling site is set at Ksh20. Any gambling operator who is found allowing gambling activities for an amount less than Ksh20 shall be liable to a fine of not less than Ksh5 million or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
Additionally, a gambler will now be required to be a registered player on an online gambling site and hold an account with the site. The operator will be required to engineer new mechanisms that ensure no child is registered as a gambler on their sites.
"A player in an online gambling activity shall not bet an amount of less than twenty shillings in a competition. The minimum amount set under subsection (1) shall be inclusive of such saving component for the player as shall be determined by the Authority in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary," the bill states.
"An operator shall put in place mechanisms to ensure that a child is not registered for an online game, lottery, or bet for which they are licensed to operate. An operator shall require proof of age of majority prior to the registration of every player," it adds.
Furthermore, if a player wins in an online gambling, the company will be required to transfer the monetary prize to the player's account within two days, while non-monetary prizes will be required to be delivered to the player within seven days.
Furthermore, the bill will also see the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority, which will oversee the vetting and licensing of any entity that wants to engage in any gambling activity in the country.
For individuals or entities to get an online gambling license from the authority, they will be required to provide online security of information, security measures against unlawful activities, an online payment system, and protection measures against underage gambling.
The individual will also be required to provide protection measures against vulnerability in gambling, awareness and education, responsible advertising, and data protection measures.
The authority will be responsible for establishing a framework that facilitates real-time monitoring of casinos and online gambling activities, which can be accessible for monitoring by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
"A person making an application for an online gambling licence under subsection (1) shall submit to the Authority a proposed gambling control system, which shall be duly considered by the Authority with or without variation," the bill states.
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