The Kenyan government on Thursday will soon introduce new gambling regulations which include banning advertising outdoors and on social media. The new sets of regulations come as the government aims to get a tightened grip on the sector. The new changes are set to take effect before this month is through, reported Reuters.
As per the new rules and regulations, advertising of gambling will be banned between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Kenya’s Betting Control Board has also banned the use of ‘celebrity endorsement to promote gambling operations.
The ministry said Kenya’s gambling industry has grown to a large extent in the last five years from 2 billion to 200 billion shillings ($1.98 billion), employing 5,000 people in the process.
“Rogue behavior in the betting and lotteries industry is endangering the lives of our young people,” Kenya’s Interior Minister Fred Matiangi said in a statement. “This clean up has just started and we will carry it through no matter what it takes because young Kenyan lives are worth saving.”
In April, Matiangi said betting had become a problem in Kenya, especially among young people. He said 54 percent of Kenyans involved in betting were low-incoming earners.
“76 percent of youth in Kenya are bettors – this is the highest figure in Africa,” he said.
BCLB acting director Liti Wambua revealed that gambling advertisements cannot appear on television between 6 am and 10 pm. Outdoor advertising will be completely prohibited.
He added that all forms of gambling advertising will have to be approved by the government, making sure that betting operators promote warning messages about the negative consequences of gambling including its addictiveness. The warning message should occupy a third of the actual advertisement space.
The Control Board will move to implement its advertising restrictions by 30 May 2019. The ministry said Investors and betting firms have until June 30 to comply with the new regulations or face closure.
