Help, limits and self-exclusion
If betting has stopped feeling like a choice, there are concrete steps you can take today. This page lists them, starting with the quickest.
Talk to someone
The Gambling Regulatory Authority lists a toll-free line, 0800-723-770, as shown on the regulator's website. The call is free. You can ask about self-exclusion, about a licensed operator, or about what to do next.
Signs that betting is causing harm
None of these is a diagnosis. Any one of them is a reason to pause:
- you bet to win back what you lost, or to finish a bonus requirement before it expires;
- you stake more than you planned, or more than you can afford to lose;
- you borrow, sell things or use money meant for rent, food or school fees to bet;
- you hide how much you bet from the people close to you;
- you feel restless, anxious or low when you are not betting;
- a bonus or free bet offer pulls you back after you had decided to stop.
Limits a licensee must offer you
Rule 84 of the Conduct of Gambling Operations Regulations, 2026 (L.N. 112) requires operators to give players real-time tools, including:
- deposit limits on a daily, weekly and monthly basis;
- loss, session and expenditure limits;
- reality checks: pop-up notices showing how long you have been playing;
- self-exclusion for at least 24 hours, linked to the national register.
No maximum stake, deposit or loss is set in the Act or the Regulations as gazetted, so the limit that counts is the one you set. Set it low, and set it before you next log in.
Self-exclusion: stepping away completely
Section 115(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 lets a person who recognises that their gambling is harmful enter a voluntary self-exclusion agreement with a licensee, covering all gambling, online gambling included. There are two routes.
With one operator
Online platforms must offer a real-time self-exclusion mechanism (rule 67(3) of L.N. 112). Under section 115(5) of the Act, an operator that fails to implement a written self-exclusion request within seven days commits an offence, and section 115(4)(c) requires it to remove you from its marketing databases within two days of the completed notification. That should end bonus offers from that operator.
With the Authority
You can apply to the Authority on Form 1 in the First Schedule to L.N. 112, stating the period and attaching a copy of your national ID or passport; the Authority acknowledges the application within seven days (rule 70). Form 1 offers six months, one year, two years or an indefinite period, and a period cannot be shortened before it ends.
Once registered, a self-excluded person may not place a bet, open a gambling account or receive promotions (rule 70(5)). Licensees must deny access, refund within seven days any deposit taken in breach, and cancel winnings obtained that way (rule 74(1)).
What you can do today
- Stop chasing an unfinished bonus. A wagering requirement is a reason the operator gives you to keep betting, not a reason you have to.
- Set a deposit limit in your account, lower than you think you need (rule 84 of L.N. 112).
- Take a break of at least 24 hours with the in-product self-exclusion option, or choose a longer period on Form 1.
- Remove saved payment details and betting apps from your phone, so that every bet takes a deliberate step.
- Tell one person you trust what is happening, and call 0800-723-770 to ask the regulator about self-exclusion.
18+ only
Gambling is for adults of the age of majority, which in Kenya is eighteen; rule 92 of L.N. 112 bars persons under eighteen, and rule 82 requires an identity, location and age check before an online account is activated or first funded. Section 109 of the Act makes it an offence to bet with a child or to take bets through a child.
Gambling is addictive. Play responsibly, and if it no longer feels like a choice, use the steps above.