How a licensed operator must record your deposits and withdrawals
A licensed operator must keep a player's account for every registered player, credit all funds received into it, debit only wagers or payouts you direct, and keep a register of money paid out. The regulations add accurate transaction recording and a tamper evident audit log. They do not name the fields of a statement.
The short answer
The Gambling Control Act, 2025 does not describe a statement. It describes a player's account, and it limits what an operator may do with the money in it. The records you see in an app or an SMS are only as good as the account behind them, so it helps to know what that account must contain.
The approved gambling control system is the frame for all of this. Under section 68(2)(c) it must provide for an online payment system, and the conduct regulations then set the recording standards.
One account per registered player
Section 72(1) says a licensee may not let anyone take part as a player unless the person is registered and holds an account with the licensee. Section 73(1) then requires the licensee to establish and maintain a player's account for each registered player.
Section 73(2) says the licensee must credit to that account all funds received from or on behalf of the player, and all funds the licensee owes the player. Section 73(3) says a wager may be accepted only if the account holds enough to cover it and the player has approved those funds.
What the law says is recorded
The table sets each obligation against its source, so you can find the wording yourself.
| Event | What the operator must do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | Credit all funds received from or on behalf of the player to the player's account. Accepted routes include debit card, electronic funds transfer, mobile money transfer and cash deposits. | Act s.73(2), (4) |
| Wager | Accept only against adequate funds that the player has approved; debit the wager or the amount directed for a wager. | Act ss.73(3), 75(a) |
| Prize | Credit a monetary prize to the player's account within two days. | Act s.70(1) |
| Withdrawal | Remit funds at the player's request, and keep a register of all monies paid out to a punter. | Act ss.75(b), 76(1) proviso |
| Charges | Deduct only bank charges for deposits received and funds withdrawn. | Act s.75(c) |
| Inactivity | If no transaction has been recorded on the account for three months, remit the balance to the player. | Act s.77(1) |
For the mobile-money side of the first row, the guide on how mobile money deposits reach a gambling account explains what your phone shows and what the operator sees.
Technical recording standards
Regulation 41 sets minimum standards for an online gambling platform. Two bear on records: accuracy and security in recording all transactions, and a secure, encrypted and tamper evident audit log of the system and user activities.
Regulation 41 also requires player funds to be segregated from operational funds and saving funds in separately maintained accounts. Regulation 42 requires personal and financial data of a player to be encrypted in transit and at rest, and stored and processed on servers in Kenya unless the Authority has given prior written exemption.
Regulation 88 adds that all financial transactions must go through a secure payment gateway compliant with a payment industry data security standard, or an equivalent the Authority approves.
Books, reports and inspection
Section 42 of the Act says the Authority prescribes the books of accounts a licensee keeps, and the licensee must regularly enter particulars in them. Section 43 requires audited accounts within three months after the financial year ends, and section 78 requires audited financial reports showing gross revenue, net revenue and the amount remitted to the Collector.
Regulation 91(1) requires a licensee to maintain accurate records of tickets accepted and settled, financial transactions, player accounts, and complaints lodged and disputes resolved. Regulation 92(1) lists further records, among them total payout, total player savings and customer information, and regulation 92(2) makes the books of accounts available to the Authority's inspectors. Regulation 93 requires suspicious activity, transactions and fraud to be reported to the Authority within twenty-four hours of the operator becoming aware.
The records the regulator can see in real time are a separate topic, covered in the guide on whether the regulator can see your account.
Why the balance rule matters when you read a statement
Section 76(2) requires the money held by the licensee, including money in transit or being cleared, to be at least equal to the total standing to the credit of all players' accounts. Where it falls below, the licensee must make good the shortfall from its own money within thirty days from the end of the month in which it occurs.
Illustrative example: three accounts hold KES 4,000, KES 2,500 and KES 3,500. Step 1: 4,000 + 2,500 + 3,500 = KES 10,000 owed to players. Step 2: suppose the licensee holds KES 9,200 in total. Step 3: 10,000 - 9,200 = KES 800 shortfall, to be made good from the licensee's own money within thirty days from the end of that month.
This is a rule about the operator's books, not a promise about timing of any single withdrawal. For that, see the guide on prize payment and withdrawal timelines.
Checking your own statement
The law gives you no template, so the check is yours to design from what the account must reflect. Keep your mobile-money message for each deposit and each payout, and compare them line by line with what the account shows.
- Every deposit should appear as a credit for the amount received, less nothing beyond the charges section 75(c) allows.
- Every wager should appear as a debit that you placed or directed.
- Every withdrawal should match a request you made.
- A balance sitting unused for three months should have been remitted to you under section 77(1).
If a deposit left your wallet but is missing from the account, see the guide on a deposit deducted but not credited. Keep dates, amounts and transaction codes together, then raise the difference with the operator's customer care centre.
What the texts leave open
The Act and the conduct regulations, as read for this guide, do not state a retention period, a statement format or a fixed delivery schedule for player records. They also do not say how far back a player may ask to see transactions. Where a rule has no number in the law, do not treat an operator's own terms as if they were the law. Read the terms as a contract and the regulations as the floor beneath them.
Gambling is addictive. Play responsibly. If your play is causing worry, the GRA toll-free line and the self-exclusion process are on the responsible gambling page.
Questions and answers
Does the law say an operator must give me a statement of my account?
Not in the Act or the conduct regulations as read for this guide. They require the operator to keep a player's account and accurate records of financial transactions and player accounts, but they do not say in what form or how often a player receives a statement. Ask the operator what its terms provide.
For how long must an operator keep transaction records?
The texts read for this guide do not state a retention period for player account or transaction records. They require records to be accurate, up to date and open to inspection by the Authority. Do not assume a figure; ask the operator or the Authority.
What can an operator take from my account balance?
Section 75 of the Act allows only three things: debiting a wager you made or an amount you directed for a wager, remitting funds to you at your request, and paying bank charges for deposits received and funds withdrawn.
What is the legal start and end of an online gambling transaction?
Section 69 says an online gambling transaction starts when you deposit money into your gaming account and ends when you withdraw money from it.
What if a record is false?
Section 95 of the Act makes it an offence for a licensee to fail to keep a required book, record or account, to keep false records, or to make a false book entry. The penalty is a fine not exceeding one million shillings or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.
Where do I complain if my balance does not match my own records?
Start with the operator's customer care centre, which regulation 9 of the conduct regulations requires to handle complaints and disputes. Unresolved matters are referred to the Authority for determination.