Kenya is the first African country to legalize all forms of gambling in the 20th century. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Kenya has become one of the most progressive countries in the world when it comes to sports betting.
There are many sports betting sites that Kenyan bettors can access and as such, the market is quite competitive. Choosing the right betting site in Kenya in 2024 can be a challenge but it’s not that difficult if you follow the below-mentioned instructions. Read on to find out more.
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Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Kenya?
Sports betting is very much legal in Kenya. While there are numerous propositions to further limit and regulate online gambling in Kenya, those measures are meant to keep the punters safe. Gambling will remain legal for the time being.
In Kenya, all forms of gambling are permitted. As such, the country has been a haven for gamblers all around Africa but some problems have occurred recently. Given the growing number of gambling companies, the government has put in place strategies to protect Kenyans against gambling addiction and the violence that accompanies such activities. The Gambling and Licensing Regulatory Board (BCLB) through banks and other money transfer regulators have made it difficult for people to withdraw and deposit money on gambling networks. Initially, we have seen some of the gambling companies’ licenses revoked for failing to pay the required taxes. However, the cases have been around for some time and have been resolved through the courts. According to a recent argument, the government has refused to renew the licenses of these gambling companies to ensure that (those companies) comply with the regulations set by BCLB.
Minister of Home Affairs and National Coordination Dr. Fred Matiang’i warned that these gambling companies should expect strict action. He said that this industry contributed to misleading many young people. The National Security Council also approved the statement. The council also investigates the effects and threats associated with gambling in the country such as embezzlement.
Gambling companies were given deadlines to meet the new conditions for gambling activities. Some of the conditions that needed to be met included proving that they were running the business in accordance with the law. Also, they needed to show that they had the ability and a good financial system for the past four years.
Since the pressure, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has inspected and approved ten gambling companies whose licenses had been revoked for non-compliance with tax laws. The licenses of 27 companies were not renewed for failing to meet those requirements.
Earlier this year, the BCLB announced a new law banning advertising on billboards, gambling on social media, gambling between 6 pm and 4 pm, and the banning of gambling activities by celebrities. However, the Supreme Court of Kenya quashed the rules.
The Government of Kenya has re-introduced the Gambling Bill 2019 which proposes new fees, laws on ownership, and monitoring of these gambling activities.
It is estimated that the gambling industry generates $200 billion annually. In most lands, the tax levied on each winner is usually less than 20 percent. In Kenya, the tax levied on every win in the gambling industry is 35 percent. The Kenyan government is at a crossroads between revenue collection and youth protection. The government should not only use the tax levy as a way to control gambling but also find other ways to ensure that young people do not get caught up in the nightmares of participating in lottery games.
Among the methods the government can use to reduce gambling addiction is to ban the use of posters to sponsor advertisements. The government has a responsibility to protect its citizens against exploitation and to focus on enabling young people to earn a living. The move to collect higher taxes from gambling companies will further promote gambling. As a result of these measures, these gambling companies will be forced to recruit more people to participate in gambling to increase their profits and profits.
As there are no national betting companies in Kenya, they mostly rely on foreign bookmakers. And in the world of online gambling, foreign bookmakers are often seen as unreliable and unsafe portals. There is still a lot of confusion about it, but the truth is that licensed foreign betting sites are not only places where you can bet with maximum security but also portals full of advantages for Kenyan players.
When choosing the best sports betting sites in Kenya for 2024, there are a few criteria to pay attention to. Not all of these criteria must be met but the more the better.
The first point to be addressed in order of importance is, without a doubt, that of security. Most sports betting sites in Kenya have a regular license issued by the authorities of Malta, Curaçao or other entities. These sites are based on the laws of other countries but continue to operate legally internationally. The license from Malta, Curaçao, or other entities is, in fact, a guarantee to all players that there are no legal violations, that all prizes are available, and that all players on the site behave in accordance with the established rules.
Therefore, the first thing to do is check the security systems that these bookmakers use, as well as make sure that they have a license. Every day new foreign betting sites are born and enter the betting market. online games, but not all of them are operators with a regular license.
In addition to this, you should also check how they manage data protection and privacy. Most sports betting sites in Kenya guarantee their registered players a high level of security and can be contacted by email or phone number. In addition, to protect confidential data and economic transactions that take place on the site, they use a highly advanced encryption system, SSL (Secure Socket Layer), which is also used by banks and credit institutions around the world.
Clicking on the main section of the site will take you to the menu with all the sports, and in most cases you will be faced with many different sports that you can bet on. We are talking about more than 20 different sports (in some cases even more than 30). In addition to the classic football, basketball, tennis, etc., you can also try new types of sports and bets, always with many options. In addition, in several bookmakers in Kenya you can enjoy a minimum deposit of 500 shilling, so there is no need to deposit a large amount of money immediately.
Once you have verified that the sports betting site in Kenya suits your tastes, you are finally ready to register and open a game account. And here you have to face one of the most interesting points of all – the welcome bonus. This is a promotion that is only valid for all new users and allows you to immediately have an advantageous top-up on your first deposit.
With most foreign betting site with a license, the welcome bonuses are very high, with large percentages and deposit limits. Also, many bookmakers offer welcome bonuses even up to the fourth or fifth deposit. Finally, it is worth mentioning that, in addition to no deposit betting bonuses from foreign sites, there are also many other offers related to sports in the promotions section.
Payment methods are also a big plus when it comes to foreign bookmakers in Kenya. These days, they accept many different methods of depositing and withdrawing money, not just credit cards or bank transfers, but also virtual wallets, Paypal, and often cryptocurrencies.
There are several reasons to choose foreign licensed operators in Kenya to place bets. But in addition to the factors, we have discussed, there are many more, such as very reliable customer support, low minimum bets, not to mention the browsing experience, optimization for mobile devices, and many other features to discover.
Lastly, these licensed foreign betting sites are not only safe and reliable, they are also a place to have fun and choose from a wide range of sports to bet on, with great bonuses and many other unique features.
Beginner users need some help as they don’t know how to place sports bets in Kenya. For this reason, we have thought of compiling the main steps that anyone must follow to start placing bets with a bookmaker.
Do some deep research and sign up with a reputable bookmaker. Focus on Kenyan betting sites that we recommend in our ranking. This will help you avoid registering with illegal operators that put your money at risk.
Make a deposit and accept the welcome bonus. The best bookmakers in Kenya offer promotions for new users, so you must make the first deposit with the payment method of your choice.
Select the event and market to bet on. When you already have the money available in your account, it is time to go to the match you want to bet on. Choose the specific market to bet on and enter the amount you want to stake.
Wait for the result of the bet. When the bet has been confirmed, you just have to wait for the event to arrive to know the exact result of the bet. In the event that you have hit the bet, you can withdraw the money when it appears in your account balance.
Punters from Kenya love to bet on many sports and a variety of sports that have been offered to them are all bet on to some degree. But to avoid mentioning all the sports that Kenyan punters place bets on, there are just some of the most popular ones:
Punters from Kenya love to bet on many sports therefore there is a wide range of types of bets. Naming them all would be impossible, hence we will focus on the two most popular sports to bet on in Kenya – football and basketball. Here are the most common types of bets:
A bet focused on the number of goals scored in a match, it can pertain to total goals scored, or goals scored by a specific team.
A wager that allows you to cover two out of three possible outcomes in a sports event, reducing your risk but offering lower odds.
A bet that gives one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage, leveling the playing field and altering the odds.
A straightforward bet where you pick the team or individual you think will win a particular event or match. It is one of the most common types of bets.
In the different sports betting houses in Kenya, you will find a wide variety of offers, bonuses, or promotions. It depends on which of these will be available, depending on the site operator, the importance of these promotions gives the user an advantage over the house and allows you to improve betting options, predictions on different sporting events, simple bets, and more. Here are the most common and popular bonuses in Kenya.
A bonus provided to new bettors when they first register with a betting site. Typically includes free bets or a matched bet based on their first deposit.
A bonus awarded to new bettors without any initial deposit requirement. This can be in the form of a free bet or bonus credit for betting.
A bonus that offers a certain number of free bets based on various criteria like deposit amount, betting patterns, or promotional offers.
A bonus that returns a percentage of a bettor's losses over a specified timeframe. This helps mitigate some of the risks associated with losing bets.
What Is the Best Payment Option for Kenyan Players?
When betting at sports betting sites that are legal and approved in Kenya, players can use any banking method available with ease of mind. E-wallets are the fastest ones and most widespread but they usually require additional accounts and some fees. Bank and credit card transfers are easy to use but they are quite slow and not as safe.
In order to place sports bets in Kenya, a bettor must deposit some money first and use it to place bets. To do so, Kenyan players can use a variety of methods, most of which are completely safe and quite recommended.
To better name the best methods, they will be categorized in groups below. These are the most popular payment options in Kenya.
Gambling in Kenya is legal and well-regulated.
Gambling in Kenya online is quite safe when done at legal and licensed houses.
Sports betting is safe in Kenya. All it is necessary is to go with a trusted bookmaker.
Deposit limits will be determined by bookmakers and payment methods. Check out terms and conditions for each bookmaker.
Both players and bookmakers have to pay 20% tax on their gambling income.
Withdrawal times will depend on each bookmaker but mostly on payment methods. The fastest are e-wallets and electronic payments, which usually take 24 hours, followed by credit cards (3-5 days), and finally, bank transfers, which take about a week.
There are a plethora of betting sites in Kenya, all of which offer unique services. The best one would be the one that offers services based on your needs. It is important that the bookmaker is safe and has a great selection of sports and markets to bet on.
All kinds of sports are available to Kenyan bettors, such as football, basketball, handball, tennis, horse races, moto races, martial arts, etc.
Kenyan bettors love placing bets on football, as well as basketball.
Sports betting odds are calculated by bookmakers and they represent a chance of the outcome, presented in decimal numbers. All the odds on a betting slip are multiplied and then multiplied again with the sum of money invested to create a final winning sum.
Many bookmakers in Kenya will offer free bets as part of their promotional bonuses.
It is necessary to create a betting account at a sports betting site in Kenya. Once created, the bookmaker will award the new player with a welcome (sign-up) bonus.
There are numerous ways in which Kenyan bettors can ask for help. One is to contact the GamHelp Kenya at 0800-000-023, another is East Africa Center at +254700656284 or +254725492006, or contact a gambling counselor (+254) 707764498, 0739 340004.
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