Steve Umidha @UmidhaSteve

Sports betting companies will have to wait a little longer for a likely lift on the ban on outdoor, social media and television advertisements, precisely two more months, an industry regulator has said.

Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) yesterday said it was yet to finalise on the modalities and a practical framework to be used by betting firms if they are to resume commercial campaigns.

So far, Betika, BetKing, Betway, OdiBet, Mozzart Bet and BangBet are heavily involved with local sports.

“We are yet to come up with those modalities and it is a process we hope will take at least two more months to be ready for use by operators,” said the Board’s Chief Executive Peter Mbugi yesterday in a telephone interview.

Last week, BLCB began the renewal process of operating licences for over 60 betting firms presently registered in Kenya – a process that is expected to end on July 30.

It had been hoped that the government would in July allow gaming companies to commence outdoor, social media and television advertisements after several months hiatus – a decision that promises profound life changes for millions of Kenyans and the sports industry.

BCLB has been working on a structure on the aforementioned and was to issue a detailed communiqué on July 1, on a possible resumption of gambling advertorials which was halted in a directive issued on April 30, 2019.

“We are considering that option but we are still in consultations with other stakeholders on that matter.

A communication will, however, be made in due course, in a month’s time,” said Mbugi in an interview in February where he confirmed that a total of 63 betting firms were registered locally. There are 22 licensed casinos in Kenya.

BCLB dealt a major blow to the gambling business in its 2019 decision saying the move was meant to protect the public, particularly still-in-school children and under age citizens from addiction.

It banned many forms of advertising including television adverts from 6am to 10pm as well as celebrity endorsements that had been helping gambling firms woo clients.

The directive hit the betting industry hard, which also coincided with a protracted court battle over taxation of winnings. Local sports and media houses who heavily rely on the industry were also not left out.

The Kenya Parliament introduced the Gaming Bill in 2019 to monitor the system of gambling operators by imposing hefty payable taxes, a mandatory 30 per cent local ownership and disallowing gaming ads.