The number of licensed bookmakers in Kenya has dropped significantly. Over the past year, 10 companies have liquidated their licenses. Some of them continue to operate illegally.
The new bill has not only failed to increase online gambling tax revenue, but has also led to a decrease in the figure.
The main problems of the market
Currently, there are 118 companies registered in the Betting Control and Licensing Registry, which is 10 less than in January 2024. Some of these companies have voluntarily ceased operations in Kenya.
Apart from the negative impact, there is some positive news. According to the latest published report, 12 new betting companies have started operating in the Kenyan market.
That’s not all. The punters are also taxed. They pay a tax of 12.5% on every bet and 20% on every winnings. These are the highest levies on the African continent.
Small companies cannot operate in such conditions, as they give away all their profits.
Of course, this leads to the flourishing of illegal sites where players don’t have to pay anything and companies quietly operate from offshore zones.
Moreover, many large international brands consciously prefer to operate precisely in the “gray zone”, as it is much easier.
Our authors conducted a small research and studied the top of the search engine. Quite quickly we managed to find several popular casinos and bookmakers with a good reputation. On the first place is 1win, where you can find thousands of games and various bonuses.
To get them, you need to register and enter the actual promo code 1win in a particular field. After that, it is enough to replenish the account and get welcome bonuses.
No wonder that players like such conditions.
Statistics
When it comes to statistics, in Kenya, more than 76% of players are under the age of 36.
According to this indicator, the country bypasses Nigeria and South Africa. According to some reports, each player spends an average of $19.38 monthly, while they have a salary of about $232.
Players see sports betting as the fastest way to make money and cover their daily needs. Despite the tax burden, the number of gambling enthusiasts in the country is not decreasing. And a similar thing is happening in many countries in Africa.
The Kenyan government is trying to tighten laws to regulate betting shops. But not all attempts to increase taxes and excise duties lead to success.
Recall that earlier journalists reported about the growth of the gambling industry in another African country – Zimbabwe.
