The appointment of Peter Maina Karimi as the new Director General of the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) marks the latest phase in Kenya‘s market development.
Karimi will lead the regulator as it takes over supervision of the country’s gambling industry from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), a move enacted under the Gambling Control Act, 2025.
Joseph Limo, Chair of the GRA Board, stated: “Following a competitive recruitment process, the GRA Board of Directors is delighted to confirm the appointment of Mr Peter Maina Karimi as the authority’s new director general.”
Karimi has pledged to enforce tougher actions against illegal gambling and enhance responsible gambling safeguards.
Enacted to update legislation from the 1960s, the Gambling Control Act, 2025 aims to modernize Kenya’s gambling landscape in response to the industry’s expanding reach.
This commitment aligns with President William Ruto’s position, who earlier this year reaffirmed a firm approach to addressing gambling, as well as drugs and alcohol.
Ruto stated that due to gambling’s financial and social consequences, the government is preparing new rules to govern the industry.
“We are establishing gambling regulations because many citizens are suffering. Five million affected individuals is a significant figure. This activity cannot be permitted everywhere. Our nation cannot proceed in this manner.”
In line with the broader gambling reform, the BCLB has implemented a series of adjustments to advertising rules, banning the use of celebrities, influencers, and content creators to advertise gambling.
Operators must now show a responsible gambling notice and an age warning stating players must be over 18. All advertisements also require pre-approval from the BCLB and classification by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB).
Figures from the Communications Authority of Kenya reveal the pronounced effect these rules have already had on marketing budgets.
During Q1 of the 2025/26 financial year, Betting and Gaming firms spent only Sh 131m (£742,023) on ads—a decline of nearly 95% from the Sh 2.5bn spent in Q1 of FY24/25 and an 89% fall from the Sh 1.2bn (£6.8m) spent the prior quarter.
iGaming Expert Analysis: As Kenya’s market remains a beacon of growth in Africa’s sector, Karimi must begin effectively and manage a seamless handover of regulatory control to the GRA.
The consumer protection steps he has proposed are vital for a healthy market. Nevertheless, he needs to guarantee that regulations on the legal industry are not too severe, avoiding the unintended consequence of strengthening the illicit market he aims to tackle.