The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
The Betting and Licensing Board has ordered the shutdown of these platforms and suspended all associated Pay Bill numbers.
“The Board has taken note of complaints from concerned citizens regarding these platforms which exploit users by demanding money through betting schemes,” BCLB said in a letter dated Tuesday, April 29, addressed to the Communication Authority of Kenya Director General David Mugonyi.
Investigations by the Board reveal these fraudulent sites scam bettors by accepting deposits via pay bill numbers or STK push services, only to withhold payouts.
The move comes even as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) pledged to fully enforce the government’s suspension of gambling advertisements, citing growing concerns over the harmful impact of betting on vulnerable populations, particularly the youth.
In a press statement on Tuesday, April 29, the DCI condemned the surge in betting-related advertising across various media platforms, warning that such campaigns are luring financially vulnerable individuals into a cycle of reckless gambling and false hope.
“Mobile money services and online lending platforms have only made it easier for individuals to access betting services, deepening the crisis,” the statement read.
The DCI has also reaffirmed its support for the Betting Control and Licensing Board, promising increased collaboration to tighten regulatory oversight and crack down on illegal gambling syndicates and unlicensed operators, both online and offline.
“Many are enticed to 'invest' what little they have, while others waste valuable time and resources chasing unrealistic returns, to the detriment of their futures," the statement added.
At the same time, the DCI called on social media influencers and bloggers to refrain from promoting betting platforms through paid partnerships, describing such endorsements as unethical and harmful to the public good.
Below is the full list of illegal betting websites currently under scrutiny;
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
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