Kenyan punters are in one of the largest African sports betting markets. The country has a population of over 55 million people as of 2024 and a sports betting revenue of about 16.3 billion KES in 2022. With such a huge and fast-growing industry, we have collated all the important information YOU need to navigate your betting activities successfully in Kenya. Read on to familiarise yourself with these facts.
We hear you ask, "So which apps are the best options for me in Kenya?" Truly, there are tons of apps that can cater to your needs in Kenya, but at Betting Tips Africa, we only offer you the very BEST. So, below are some of the top-end apps you can game with in Kenya.
Best Betting Bonus Kenia
Bonuses at Kenyan bookmakers are common. While these bonuses may be very much, which ones ACTUALLY serve you the best opportunity to make MORE PROFIT? Don't worry! We have you COVERED. Selected below are some of the best bonus offers you can get in Kenya.
FAQ
In Kenya, in particular, local bookmakers like SportPesa and Betika are very popular. More than 80% of the punters wager there at Sportpesa. Furthermore, some international big names such as Betway and 1xBet offer their services to Kenyans.
If a betting site has a permit from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), it operates legally.
All betting sites licensed by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) operate legally in Kenya.
Often, the odds vary depending on the competition. The bookmakers sometimes present extraordinarily profitable odds and then again only moderate ones. Therefore, we cannot give any general information about the wagering site with the best odds in Kenya, as this is ever-changing and subjective. However, you can check out the odds for yourself via the odds margin, or read the odds section in our bookmaker reviews.
While the bonus conditions should be as customer-friendly as possible, it is a matter of subjective taste which bonus appeals to you, and which does not. Consequently, it is difficult to assess which betting site in Kenya presents the best bonus for you.
Yes. Sports betting with a bookmaker in Kenya is considered legal. So, you can stake your bets on your favourite teams without any fear of breaking the law.
1xBet is one of the biggest bookmakers in the world. Established in 2007, the reliable bookmaker provides great odds, good bonus offers, and a generally safe platform. 1xBet is legally allowed to operate in many regions, incl...
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Bet365 was founded by Denise Coates in the year 2000. The gigantic bookmaker is largely experienced, fully licenced, and available to punters in the Nigerian, Ghanaian, South African, and ...
In the vibrant landscape of online sportsbooks, William Hill stands tall as a titan of the industry. For over 90 years, this British powerhouse has been synonymous with thrilling bets, competitive odds, and a dedication to pu...
22Bet is a powerhouse in the sports-betting industry. Owned by Marikit Holdings Ltd. and managed by TechSolutions Group N.V., the bookmaker serves punters in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. At 22Bet...
Mozzartbet is one of the most trusted online betting sites, with vast experience spanning over 20 years. The Bookmaker is not just a sports betting site; it extends its offerings to virtual games, casino games, and lottery op...
Packed with an expansive betting market, generous bonuses, and a user-friendly interface, Paripesa is a powerhouse for bettors seeking variety and convenience. The sportsbook is loaded with lots of impressive features designe...
As one of the prominent players in the vast world of sports betting, Betway offers you a wide range of sports betting, casino games, and many other gaming options. At Betway, you can rest assured of getting new games as they ...
Betika was established in the year 2016. Officially listed under the "Gambling Facilities and Casinos" industry, you will be impressed with more than 50 games to choose from. You are also protected by highly-rated security sy...
Odibets is a popular online sports betting platform operating in Kenya and Ghana. It boasts a wide range of sports to bet on, with football and major leagues like the Premier League taking centre stage. New customers are welc...
For sports enthusiasts seeking a multifaceted online betting platform, Unibet deserves serious consideration. The bookmaker offers extensive wagering opportunities across a vast array of sporting events. Unibet's competitive ...
The 1xBet mobile app is an essential component of the betting platform. The app is the epitome of ease and efficiency. It is a modern app and is available in both APK and iOS versions. There is a lite version of the app, and ...
Bet365 offers a sophisticated and elegant dedicated app to its users. The app is available to both Android and iOS users. Bet365's mobile app is optimised for speed, efficiency, and ease of use. The app is available for downl...
Betika offers a top mobile app for the ease of use of its users. This review profiles everything about the app, including factors like the interface, regulation, security, and how to download the app. The Betika mobile app i...
As expected with a company of unique diversification, Mozzartbet helps ensure complete and personalised entertainment for all gaming enthusiasts with a top-class mobile app. The app presents all the features that can be found...
Looking for an easy way to place bets on your favourite sports? The Odibets app is your answer. Download it now and enjoy seamless mobile betting. Explore top-notch features like live betting, cashout, and virtual leagues.
From free bets to enhanced odds and loyalty rewards, the William Hill bonuses and promotional offers cater to every betting style. As you become a regular player, free bets, cashback offers, and reload bonuses keep the excite...
Betway has just the incentives needed to push your betting limits and maximise your chances of winning huge. From mouthwatering welcome bonuses to free bets, you can find all you need to win more and spend less. Read on to fi...
1xBet has very good bonus offers for their patrons. There are varieties like welcome bonuses, accumulator bonuses, referral bonuses, casino bonuses, and many more at the bookmaker. 1xBet offers industry-standard wagering requ...
Sailing the stormy seas of online betting can be tricky, especially when it comes to claiming bonuses and promotional offers. But fear not, this Unibet bonus review charts a course through the bookmaker's bonus island, reveal...
betPawa is one of the fastest-growing indigenous sports betting companies in Africa. It is registered and regulated by the gaming boards of the countries where it operates. In this review, our experts look at the betPawa prom...
Throughout our in-depth assessment of the betting sites in Kenya, we carefully examine the bookmakers in the region and what they offer. Since giving our readers the most up-to-date and accurate information is compulsory, we do not do this merely on a one-off basis. On the contrary, we constantly renew our test reports. In this way, we guarantee all our users stay up to date with the latest information.
Therefore, our editorial team and testers do not only consider the bonus offers, mobile betting, wagering offers, and payment methods of each bookmaker in Kenya. We make sure we check out the legal angle, as this is also crucial. An illegal bookmaker can ruin gamblers, as they are likely to miss out on payouts even when their bet wins. In this case, there will be no organisation acting as oversight for users to report to. For legitimate bookmakers, users can rest assured that if they win their bets, they will get their payouts, except if they have gone against the terms and conditions.
So, from a legal standpoint, Betting Tips Africa assures you of total coverage and transparency. We also make sure to check and reveal to YOU how to get more from the Sportsbooks in your region. When evaluating each country (in this case, Kenya), we look at the wagering offers, mobile betting platforms (website and app), payment methods for deposits and withdrawals, and the bonuses and promotions primarily available in the region.
Without further delay, we will delve straight into the full legal information on Kenya. However, in this process, we will take a moment to check out a brief history/facts about Kenya. We will also take a quick look at early gambling in East Africa.
History/Facts Of Kenya
Kenya was colonised by Great Britain between the years 1895 and 1963. The country borders Ethiopia to the North, Uganda and South Sudan to the West and Northwest, respectively, Somalia to the Northeast, and Tanzania to the South. Kenya was part of the East African protectorate and is a diverse nation with numerous ethnic groups. The largest ethnic groups as of 2021 are the Kikuyu (17.1%), Luhya (14.3%), Kalenjin (13.4%) and the Luo (10.7%) people. The East African country has a large land mass area of 582,646 square kilometres and a population of over 55 million people, making it the seventh most populous country in Africa.
Early Kenyan Gambling
Gambling has always been part of the Kenyan region since time immemorial. With a current population of about 55 million people, gambling has risen steadily as more residents engage in betting. Kenya has one of the most sophisticated gambling regulations in Africa.
In Kenya, the first legislation passed on gambling happened in the year 1966. The legislation was passed through the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act of the United Kingdom. In essence, while gambling activities have always been a routine activity in the life of early Kenyans, the region has had a structure for betting for more than 50 years.
The Kenyan Gambling Laws
As already established, Gambling has been a part of the routine life of early Kenyans, and the activity was regulated in 1966, which is more than 50 years ago. The earliest form of legislation in Kenya was the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act of the United Kingdom. This act legalised many forms of gambling in Kenya and gave birth to the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) under the bill.
Since then, residents have legally been able to play and enjoy casino games and sports betting. Also, Kenya legalises bingo games and the lottery to the residents. However, before embarking on serving gaming services to Kenyans, each bookmaker must acquire a licence from the relevant authorities.
In 2012, there was an amendment to the gambling laws in Kenya. The National Gaming Bill was revised as Section 3(1) of the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act Cap. 131 – Laws of Kenya of 1966 and it regulate all forms of gambling in the country, which includes online betting. This brings us to the Betting Control And Licencing Board. This regulatory body must be mentioned whenever the legality of sports betting in Kenya is discussed.
The Establishment And Duties Of The Betting Control And Licencing Board (BCLB)
The Betting Control And Licencing Board (BCLB) is the biggest gambling regulatory body in Kenya. The sector was borne out of the passing of the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act of the United Kingdom in 1966 and revised as Section 3(1) of the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act Cap. 131 – Laws of Kenya of 1966. The BCLB is in charge of monitoring all gambling activity within the East African country and ensuring that all gambling service providers are working according to the law. They also make sure to punish any gambling organisation that fails to adhere to the laws. Below are the full functions of the BCLB, as listed out on the official website.
The organisation sets standards, guidelines, and rules to regulate and control betting, lotteries, and all forms of gaming. This is carried out through constant supervision and inspection of all betting and gaming activities of bookmakers and punters.
The BCLB sets rules to protect all members of the country against all forms of fraud.
The organisation is tasked with the eradication of all forms of illegal gambling and promoting responsible gambling.
The Betting Control And Licencing Board also presides over all Public Lottery and Prize Competition draws.
The regulatory body is also in charge of authorizing amusement machines and pool tables in the country.
To summarise, all the functions and lines of action of the Betting Control And Licencing Board of Kenya (BCLB) are targeted at controlling the gambling environment in the whole country. The organisation's activities and actions help the government to keep an eye on the security of Kenyan punters and also receive all appropriate taxes from the relevant companies.
At the time of this publication, the Betting Control And Licencing Board (BCLB) headquarters is located in the capital of the country, Nairobi. They can be located at ACK Gardens Annex, Bishop Road, 1st Ngong Ave, Nairobi – Kenya. Their opening hours are between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and you can contact them directly by phone numbers +254-111021400 , +254-111021407, or email address info@bclb.go.ke.
[N.B] Below are the classes of licences granted by the Betting Control And Licencing Board (BCLB), and operators inside the country must apply for any of the licences which apply to their services
Bookmakers Licenses-section 16
Totalisator License-section 18
Pool Betting Scheme License – Section 22
Permit Authorizing bookmaking at race meetings – Section 23
Public Gaming License – Section 49
Public Lottery Permit – Section 36
Prize Competition Permit – Section 59 A
Amusement machine/pool table permit section 58
Other Kenyan Gambling Regulatory Bodies
There are no other gambling regulatory bodies in Kenya aside from the BCLB. The Betting Control And Licencing Board is tasked with sanitising the gambling environment in the country.
Rise In Kenyan Online Sports Betting And General Gambling Activities
Kenya is the seventh-largest country in Africa based on population size with over 55 million people in the country. According to statistics at the start of 2023, Kenya is home to about 17.86 million internet users, and the internet penetration percentage stood at 32.7%. According to a 2020 statistic, Kenya generated about 40 billion shillings from ISPs (Internet service providers).
With many factors that influence stable internet connection and the availability of fast mobile money platforms, Kenya's gambling sphere has witnessed a huge growth in the number of punters and bets. According to statistics from the Betting Control And Licencing Board (BCLB), in 2022, bookmakers made revenues of 16.3 billion KES, while casinos made upwards of 6.4 billion KES.
Kenya's unwavering love and commitment to online betting is well documented, with the industry witnessing record-staked bets of 88.5 billion KES in 2023. Also, these bets resulted in an income of 6.64 billion KES for the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) via excise taxes alone. By calculations, Kenyans placed 242 million KES on bets daily, 10.1 million KES hourly and 168,333 KES every minute. Going further, this means Kenyan gamblers staked bets worth 2,806 KES every second.
Bookmakers In Kenya
10bet
1xBet
22Bet
888 Bet
Bangbet
Betafriq
BetBureau
Betgr8
Bethipo
Betika
BetKing
Betkwiff
Betlion
BetNare
betPawa
Betsafe
Betsafi
Betway
BetWinner
Bongobongo
Captainbet
ChezaCash
Dafabet
Dakabet
DimbaBet
Dukabet
Forzza
Genius Bet
Hollywood Bets
iBet
InbetKe
Instabet
JamboBet
Janta Bets
Kilibet
Kwikbet
LiGIBET
Mcheza
Melbet
Mossbets
Mozzartbet
OdiBets
Pakakumi
Palmsbet
Parimatch
Pitch90 Bet
Playabet
Playmaster
Sahara Games
Scorepesa
Shabiki
SportPesa
Sportybet
Starbet
StrikeBet
Tickbet
Ultrabet
UndaBet
Unibet
WSB (World Sports Betting)
The Legal Situation Of Sports Betting In Kenya
Sports betting is one of the biggest forms of gambling prevalent in Kenya. Others are lotteries, numbers, and casinos. The Kenyan gambling laws are quite straightforward and complete. The laws have already been stated in the early stages of this article. However, this section will go over a summary of the gambling laws in Kenya.
(i) Kenya has one of the oldest and most sophisticated gambling regulations in Africa which date as far back as 1966. The gambling laws in the region were put in place by the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act of the United Kingdom, which gave birth to the highest gambling regulatory body in Kenya, the Betting Control And Licencing Board.
(ii) In Kenya, the majority of gambling activities are legal. You are free to gamble legitimately in Kenya with licenced bookmakers without the worry of committing a crime. The BCLB (Betting Control And Licencing Board) is the highest regulatory body in Kenya and acts as an oversight for gambling activities. There are no other regulation bodies in the country. This is contrary to countries like Nigeria, where there are multiple regulatory bodies apart from the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).
(iii) The legal gambling age in Kenya is eighteen years. If you are of the legal gambling age, you are free to gamble legitimately without breaking the law. However, underage gambling and its punishment are not yet defined by the current laws. This could change soon as there are already plans to put them in place. Do note that we do not promote unlawful or underage betting.
(iv) In Kenya, some of the highest tax rates and applicable ones are already in place. The tax rates are also reviewed and mostly increased regularly. In the region, gambling establishments are required to withhold 20% of the winnings paid out to punters. Also, a 15% tax is charged on each gambling establishment's gross gaming revenues. These are added to their annual licence fees which vary by the nature and size of the establishment. These gambling firms are also required to pay a standard 16% income tax.
(v) Large brands among global bookmakers such as Betway, Unibet, and 1xBet operate in Kenya.
As mentioned above, Kenya has one of the best and most refined legislative frameworks for gaming. A study in 2017 indicated that the country has the largest gambling market, behind Nigeria and South Africa. Additionally, about two million punters make use of mobile betting services. SportPesa undoubtedly leads the market, where more than 80% of the bettors place their wagers.
In Kenya, cricket and rugby are very liked sports, with the Safari Sevens Tournament taking place every year. Furthermore, Kenya ranks as one of the most successful athletics nations in the world. Moreover, cricket is widespread, and the country co-hosted the 2003 World Cup in Africa. Kenya also hosts two rallies, the KCB Safari Rally and, together with Tanzania, the East African Safari Classic Rally. Beyond that, football and basketball are widespread – just like in most other countries on the continent.
Odds And Their Importance To Kenyan Sports Bettors
Kenya is one of the many countries that allows lawful engagement in sports betting by residents. The country has one of the biggest betting industries in Africa and is a target for some of the biggest Sportsbooks in the world. In Kenya, local bookmakers are in abundance with a handful of them having large market shares. All bookmakers compete amongst themselves for users through the offering of favourable betting markets, big odds, multiple features, loyalty programmes and bonuses/promotions.
Odds are one of the crucial factors that influence Kenyan punters' decisions to pick a bookmaker. Odds, which are represented in numbers, reflect the views of the bookmaker on the probability of an event occurring. In other words, it shows whether the bookmaker thinks an event will happen or not. Odds are presented in many forms, but the three most popular are decimal odds, fraction odds, and moneyline or American odds.
The fractional odds are presented as fractions, while the decimal odds are presented as decimal numbers. The decimal odds carry a plus or minus sign in front of a number. In Kenya, most bookmakers use decimal odds as they are more popular. As a gamer, if your aim is to win a huge payout, make sure you take your time to learn about the odds and how they work.
Betting Sites With The Best Odds In Kenya
One advantage that sports betting has over other forms of gambling is that players can compare and contrast the odds easily. While each bookmaker usually claims to offer the highest odds, any punter can easily check if this is true. As the odds influence the amount of your potential winnings, we check this factor carefully. Obviously, only the bookies with always competitive odds earn a favourable score.
We provide an overview and deeper look into the odds margin offered by every bookmaker. This can be boldly seen in our quick facts section (Betting Offer And Odds) of every bookmaker review. With our ratings in this section, you can easily get an idea of the odds situation at every bookmaker.
You can easily check the state of a bookmaker's odds through the odds margin, which is also called the "Vigorish" or "Vig." Here, the rule of thumb is that the lower the margin, the better the odds. For the prematch wagers, we classify the odds with a profit margin of 5% and below as good. However, with live bets, you must consider that the margin is considerably higher.
Do note that the odds margin is not static, as it changes often across different sports, games, events, time and many other variables. So, we highly encourage you to check out the odds margin before staking any bet.
In Kenya, several bookmakers offer mouthwatering and interesting odds to punters. However, do note that the Vigorish varies from time to time depending on several factors as mentioned above. So, you can determine which bookmaker in Kenya is offering you the best odds every time you want to stake your bet.
Kenyan Online Sports Betting: App & Website
Nowadays, we all do as many things as possible through the internet including sports betting. For this reason, we consider the online presence of a bookmaker as a key indicator of the quality of their services. We watch out for a lot of things in regard to the mobile website and app of every bookmaker. Some of our focus points are listed below:
For experienced users and novice bettors, the website needs to be user-friendly and consequently intuitive. This means that all the main contents and links must be clearly laid out and easy on the eye.
In the case of live betting, there must be almost zero lags. This means everything must load and process promptly to avoid potential loss for users. Also, when placing live wagers, users should have access to live streams or something equivalent.
The registration process must be smooth and easy to complete. Verification and other forms of validation must not take too long to confirm, as there is zero joy in spending an unnecessarily long time registering before getting into the action.
In any case, the most important requirement of the bookmaker must be transparent. No shady prompts or agreements. Everything must be clear and concise so that users can understand perfectly what they are getting into.
The app and website must be secured with industry-standard systems to protect every user against all forms of fraud and theft. There is no use for a platform if user information falls into the hands of cybercriminals or money is stolen from user accounts. However, we urge users to also protect their passwords, and information from anyone to ensure that their money is safe.
With an ever-increasing number of people using their smartphones or tablets to browse, the websites of the operators must be adapted to these needs. In Kenya, millions of players wager through this method, and bookmakers should provide ones for Android, Windows, and iOS. Furthermore, push notifications represent a plus in our ratings.
Deposits & Withdrawals At Betting Sites In Kenya
One of a bookmaker's selling points is the availability of multiple payment methods. This is an important thing that we watch out for when rating a bookmaker on our site. As we all know, debit and credit card transactions, mobile payments, electronic wallets and bank transfers represent the most popular methods of payment in Kenya. So ideally, the betting sites should offer these options. Below are the most important depositing and withdrawal methods bookmakers in Kenya should have available:
VISA and Mastercard credit cards
Mobile payments with M-Pesa and Airtel Money
Electronic wallets like Neteller, Skrill, PayPal and maybe Pesapel.
However, if a bookmaker offers all or some of the above-mentioned payment options, one thing that must be worked on is the speed of payment processing. The greatest variety of payment options is not much use when you must wait eternally before your payments go through or are confirmed. In Kenya, bookmakers are doing well in making numerous payment options available and also keeping the waiting time short.
Fees Charged By Sports Betting Sites In Kenya
It is essential that every payment YOU make at any of the bookmakers in Kenya is payment-free from the bookmakers and you are not burdened with unnecessary fees. Although bookies are subject to turnover taxation, this cannot be put on the users. As already mentioned, transparency is our top priority. And here we do not rate bookmakers that charge for transactions, while we rate those that make them free from their end. Any payment fee incurred by users during transactions should purely be from the payment method they select.
Kenyan Betting Sites And Their Bonus Offers
Bonuses are one of the things that usually catch the eye first on betting sites. But what many people do not consider is that an attractive offer is not certainly a good one. This is precisely why this topic plays a considerable role in our Kenyan bookmakers' review. Hence, we do not only review the bonuses for new customers, but we equally focus on the ones for returning customers. In doing so, our primary aim is to clarify these points:
Is it easy or complicated to profit from a bonus?
What are the terms and conditions set by the bookmaker? Are these terms easy to meet, or are they difficult?
What turnover conditions apply to each bonus? Also, what is the highest possible amount?
How long do YOU have the possibility to use the bonus before they expire?
Are there multiple types of bonuses available? Or are there just a few ones?
In Kenya, bookmakers offer bonuses like cashback, loyalty programmes, welcome bonuses, free bets and others. We often find out the whole truth about many things exclusively through the small print. To further help you win more, we explain in our Kenya bookmaker reviews all the types of bonuses available and how you can benefit from them.
The Extra Features Kenyan Betting Sites Offer Their Customers
Up to this point, we have discussed the basic requirements for all bookmakers to be rated highly on Betting Tips Africa. However, there is one thing remaining that bookmakers must look at before getting high ratings on our site. Apart from the usual bonus offers for new and existing customers, there should be certain features on the list. Some of these features include opportunities that should not be missing:
Cashout
Betting configurator
Lottery
A VIP program
Live betting
Casino gaming
Virtual Gaming
The Best Kenyan Betting Sites
There are a number of top-class betting sites in Kenya and picking one is subjective as there are a lot of things to consider including user feelings. To help you pick with ease, we offer you reliable Kenyan betting site reviews. And you can be sure that we only include operators that have a licence to work in Kenya. Additionally, our experienced testers always aim to be as objective as possible, and they also share precious personal and subjective observations.
Additionally, you can constantly find tips in the form of fact-based previews as well as news predictions and strategic points via our Soccervista, Betting Strategy, and News sections.
