The next stage of Kenya’s market evolution has seen the appointment of Peter Maina Karimi as the new Director General of the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA).
Karimi will be charged with leading the regulatory body as it assumes oversight of Kenya’s gambling sector from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) as part of the implementation of the Gambling Control Act, 2025.
The GRA’s Chair of the Board, Joseph Limo, said: “The Board of Directors of the GRA is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Peter Maina Karimi as the new director general of the authority following the successful conclusion of a competitive recruitment process.”
Under his authority, Karimi has promised to introduce stricter measures to combat illegal gambling and strengthen responsible gambling controls.
The Gambling Control Act, 2025 was introduced in a bid to modernise Kenya’s gambling sector and update laws that dated back to the 1960’s, in recognition of the growing popularity of the sector.
Karimi’s words will be welcomed by the country’s President, William Ruto, who at the beginning of the year reiterated his hardline stance for tackling the gambling industry, alongside drugs and alcohol.
Ruto promised that, in light of the financial and social impacts of gambling, the government is drafting new regulations to oversee the gambling industry.
“We are creating regulations for gambling because many people are depressed. Five million people are a very large number. It cannot be allowed to continue everywhere. We cannot continue like that as a nation.”
As part of Kenya’s gambling overhaul, the BCLB has introduced a raft of changes to the advertising laws, which include a prohibition on the use of celebrities, influencers and content creators to endorse or promote gambling.
Operators are now required to display a responsible gambling message and a warning that players must be aged over 18. All proposed adverts must also be approved by the BCLB before publication and classified by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB).
Recent data from the Communications Authority of Kenya has laid bare the already stark impact these guidelines have had on operator marketing spend.
Betting and Gaming operators spent just Sh 131m (£742,023) on advertising in the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, a near 95% drop in spending compared to the Sh 2.5bn spent in Q1 FY24/25, and 89% down on the Sh 1.2bn (£6.8m) spent in the previous quarter.
iGaming Expert Analysis: With Kenya’s market standing out as a shining example of the continued growth of the wider African sector, it’s imperative that Karimi makes a strong start and oversees a smooth transition of oversight to the GRA.
The player protection measures he has outlined are a key component of a thriving market. However, he must ensure that any constraints placed on the regulated sector are not overly restrictive and do not inadvertently embolden the black market he is seeking to combat.
