Betting Laws in Kenya
Betting is a recreational activity that has been legalized for the first time in the last century. It is one of the first African nations where casino betting and gambling became a norm. Gambling is allowed only after a player reaches the age of majority, which is 18 years.
Internet betting, nonetheless, was originally legally rolled out ten years ago. It used to be previously in state monopoly managed by Betkenya.com. Nowadays, punters can now view several foreign bookmakers and betting apps Kenya, as the government no longer bans them.
Gambling Laws in Kenya
Kenyan gambling is a common, legal form of entertainment, with over 10,000 people employed in this area. However, even though online casinos and gambling are not prohibited, they are not sufficiently regulated by legislation. Applications for online betting are lawful only if they have a locally issued license. The Kenyan government legalized gambling through the Betting, Lotteries, and Gaming Act (BLGA).
According to the law, a person may become a gambler in the premise of a bookmaker if he meets the age requirement (18 years and older). The government has at present aimed at banning promotion of the betting operators on social media and outdoor gambling advertisement from 6 AM to 10 PM. Besides, any advertisement of gambling must be sanctioned by the government and must include a warning on the negative effects of gambling, such as addiction.
Is Online Gambling Secure?
You are a super prophet, but you will still have nothing to show for all of this because of cybercrime if you ignore security. All it starts with is choosing a bookmaker, and you ought to choose the one that is the safest and easiest for you to use. The signs that show a safe betting app include:
- App safety (protecting clients' privacy)
- Login and password (the most secure programs are the ones that provide their players with logins and passwords)
- Customer identification and authentication
- Overwhelmingly positive feedback (users recommend the application)
But don't forget to follow all internet security principles (don't give your confidential data to strangers, create passwords with various symbols and complex combinations, and use only trusted antivirus software for your phone while regularly scanning for viruses).
Payment Options Available on Kenyan Betting Sites and Apps
Nowadays, bookmaking websites in Kenya have taken the extra step by making different payment methods available to users. PayPal, Skrill, etc., are available, but the preferred one for local residents is deposit through M-Pesa and Airtel because these are the cheapest. All the aforementioned best bookmaking websites in Kenya are friendly to these two but also have other payment methods. Read more below.
Debit/Credit Cards
This payment is available in most cases only at authentic bookmakers, again making them seem more credible. Especially Visa and Mastercard are the case. They are taken up by betting websites since they are rapid in transactions, providing you with an added level of security. They will also not charge you any additional fees.
Mobile Options
Mobile money primarily concerns the most popular M-Pesa and Airtel Money for online betting in Kenya. To the Kenyans, the two are the cheapest and most convenient ways of paying money into a bookmaker account. M-Pesa is currently accepted for deposits and withdrawals, with Airtel possibly being used for deposits only. This information needs to be read alongside the Terms and Conditions of the best online betting sites in Kenya.
If you use mobile money transfers, withdrawal times may take up to 24 hours or longer. A disadvantage is that both of them are not suited for large withdrawals, so the high rollers must compromise.
Neteller and Skrill
The two e-wallets are world-renowned. A user must have an opened account on the original Skrill/Neteller websites before they can make payments on new sports betting sites in Kenya. Payment is likely to have an extra fee associated with it.
PayPal
Although it's widely used in making online payments, few sports betting sites in Kenya have begun offering it as an option of acceptance. PayPal is used by some bookmakers though.
Bank Transfer
In case none of the above-mentioned ways of making payments suits your gaming experience on websites in Kenya, bank transfer is open as an alternative. The gamers are free to transfer money to the gambling operators through their local banks. However, the payment method will likely be very slow in depositing cash into your playing account.
Cryptocurrency
And finally there is cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, that has started appearing on some functional betting sites in Kenya.
For other payment methods, users may look at the Payment Policy on the betting sites, where the same is usually explained.