Kenya online casinos

While betting on sports is a popular past time in Kenya, casino games have their place too. Gambling with the Kenyan Shilling (KES) is legal in the country, and there are plenty of sites to keep entertainment levels high. We take a look at online casinos available to Kenyans, games on offer, and payment options to get you prepared.

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Online gambling in Kenya – is it legal?

All forms of gambling are legal in Kenya, with bookmakers, lotteries, gaming and competition operations regulated by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), under the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act of 1966. The regulated industry sets the country apart from other African nations, allowing the government to derive revenue from gambling to inject it into sport, culture, arts and other community funds. The country made headlines in 2017 after it raised its tax rate for all gambling operators to 35 percent, making it the highest regimes in the region.

Since the principal piece of legislation dates back more than 50 years, it fails to address the legality of online gambling. But in 2011, the BCLB introduced regulations legalising online gambling. The Stars Group, formerly known as Amaya, won the rights to operate an online gambling site, known as betkenya.com, as it already ran the SMS lottery service in the country. Unfortunately, accessibility to the site became too, and the domain ceased to exist.

For online casinos to operate in Kenya, they need a license from BCLB. Since there are none, Kenyans choose to play at casinos located overseas. It is illegal to play at offshore sites, but no Kenyans have been prosecuted so the decision is yours.

What are offshore casinos?

Offshore online casinos are gambling sites located overseas, either licensed by a local jurisdiction or one close by. These sites, licensed by reputable regulators, are trustworthy and feature fair games and secure deposit and withdrawal processes.

Unfortunately, since the operators reside overseas, you won’t be able to do anything if a dispute arises, which is why it pays to do your research and not just settle for the first site you see. We recommend several offshore online casinos to our players, which you can view in the table above.

What online casinos accept KES?

Since there are no state-owned online casinos running in Kenya, it may be difficult to find a gambling site which accepts KES. It doesn’t mean you can’t play for real money, it just means you will have to take note of currency conversion fees with many casinos accepting USD, EUR, NZD, CAD and other currencies.

If these are the only currencies available, like at Casino-Mate, we recommend playing in NZD to get the most out of every Kenyan Shilling since it has a higher exchange rate than USD and EUR. Always keep an eye on the market as exchange rates fluctuate.

Mucho Vegas doesn’t accept KES, but it does accept the South African Rand (ZAR), which may be preferred over NZD.

When signing up at your preferred online casino, if it doesn’t accept KES be sure to select ZAR, NZD or your preferred currency. Then when you deposit, be aware of currency conversion fees and ensure you have enough money in your account to cover them or the deposit won’t work.

What casino games can I play online in Kenya

Real money casino games available online range from slots to table games, and even unique variants and casual options.

Online casinos generally feature all categories to attract all different types of casino players, similarly to a land-based gambling venue. You can find hundreds of slots, with features like interactive video game elements, and table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and even poker (play against the house).

Online casino software developers also employ several different providers with many including unique variants such as table games with side bets or rare rules, as well as casual games like keno and bingo.

These games run on random number generator (RNG) software, meaning the outcome is random provided you are playing at a secure casino such as the many listed in the table above.

You can find live dealer games, where a croupier who runs the table games such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, is streamed in real time to your device. You can take your pocket casino with you wherever you go and place your bets by tapping your phone. The desktop experience is even better.

While you do need a reliable internet connection, you can turn the video stream off and still enjoy the audio, along with the idea that the game is live without any RNG software in play.

Kenyan deposit options

Kenyans prefer to deposit with M-Pesa or another SMS deposit option, but you may struggle to find the payment method offered at offshore online casinos.

You will find web wallets, which are preferred by those who want to manage their bankroll, including Neteller, Skrill and EcoPayz at reputable gaming sites. Create an e-wallet account at their website, fund it with a bank transfer or an available method (you may be able to fund your Neteller, Skrill or another web wallet with M-Pesa once signed in), and you can then use it to make a deposit. You may have to change your currency at this point in the process, but it will make it easier when depositing at the casino. It may seem like an arduous way to go about things, but you’ll find as you’re following the prompts it isn’t too bad.

Credit and debit cards are also available, plus prepaid vouchers so create an account with your preferred casino and check out the available options before choosing how to fund your play.