What is a gambling control system?

It is the set of technical and organisational measures an online operator must submit to the Gambling Regulatory Authority and then operate under as a condition of its licence (Gambling Control Act, 2025, ss.67(2) and 68). It covers security, payments, under-age protection, vulnerable players and data protection.

By WebTech Kenya Editorial (prepared with AI tools under our editorial policy) · Last updated 2026-10-04

Gambling control system

An applicant for an online gambling licence must submit a proposed gambling control system to the Authority (s.67(2)). Once licensed, the operator "shall conduct the activity under a gambling control system approved by the Authority" (s.68(1)). The Authority may not approve a system unless it provides for eight things listed in s.68(2):

• online security of information;
• safety and security against criminal activities;
• an online payment system;
• protection measures against under age gambling;
• protection measures against vulnerability in gambling;
• awareness and education;
• responsible advertising; and
• data protection measures under the Data Protection Act.

Compliance is a licence condition. Section 68(4) says failure to comply "shall lead to revocation of the licence" and is an offence.

Real-time monitoring

Section 68(5) requires the Authority to set up a framework for real-time monitoring of casinos and online gambling, accessible to the Communications Authority of Kenya and other relevant agencies. To make that possible an operator must give the Authority its platforms, the charges it levies, the particulars and location of its servers and a valid telecommunication licence (s.68(6)). The regulations define real-time as the actual time an event occurs "with negligible delay", and require a platform to provide monitoring through a secure application programming interface (r.41(d)).

Related terms

Approved domain name: the first technical standard in r.41; see the guide on fake apps and copied sites.

Customer care centre: s.68(8) requires one within Kenya.

Random number generator: r.45(2) requires certification by the Authority or its approved agent.

Material change: to be notified to the Authority within seven days (r.47(1)).

For a player, the system is what stands behind the checks described in the guide on proof of age and identity.