President William Ruto has signed into law a Bill that will see the minimum amount one is required to place on a online bet raised.
The head of state on Thursday, August 7, 2025, assented to the Gambling Control Bill 2023, which will see enhanced regulation of the gambling sector in the country.
The bill will introduce more modernised oversight strategies in the gambling sector, including raising the minimum amount an individual can bet on an online site, to 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.
A gambler will also 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.
