The Principal Secretary for Internal Security, Raymond Omollo, has announced that the government will launch a serious crackdown on illegal betting companies.
This move comes after widespread public concern about the negative impact betting is having on Kenyans, especially the youth.
Speaking on Saturday, PS Omollo emphasized that the government had carefully observed the growing betting problem and is now determined to deal with rogue operators who are taking advantage of vulnerable Kenyans.
“We are losing many of our young people to betting addictions,” PS Omollo said. “We are working hard to clean up the betting space. I urge everyone to support government officials in this effort. We must stop the rogue business people who are exploiting our youth and leading them into betting addiction.”
Omollo went on to say that betting addiction is just as serious as drug addiction. He assured Kenyans that President William Ruto’s administration has already introduced new strategies to curb reckless gambling behavior.
“This is an issue that even His Excellency the President has personally noticed and has directed action on. Some changes are already being put into place, and more are expected soon,” he added. “We want to create a society where no one is left behind because of addiction.”
The PS also highlighted that gambling addiction has contributed to very serious consequences, including cases of suicide and increased criminal activities, as some people become desperate to find money to place more bets.
Over the past few weeks, multiple reports and personal testimonies from affected Kenyans have been shared in the media. These stories have fueled calls for the government to step in and regulate the betting industry more strictly.
One shocking report claimed that Kenyans spent up to Ksh766 billion on gambling activities in 2024 alone.
However, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) quickly responded to this claim. In a public notice released on April 20, the BCLB said the Ksh766 billion figure was exaggerated and meant to mislead both policymakers and the general public about the size of the legal betting market.
“The claim that Kenyans spent Ksh766 billion on gambling in 2024 is not accurate. That figure is about 31 percent of our national revenue and is highly misleading,” the BCLB said in their statement.
According to the board, the massive figure likely included transactions from illegal offshore betting platforms, not just the licensed and regulated ones operating within Kenya.
While dismissing the exaggerated numbers, the BCLB confirmed that the total taxes collected from the legal betting industry during the 2024/2025 financial year amounted to Ksh22.3 million.
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