What is an STK push, and how does it work for betting deposits?
An STK push is a payment prompt that a business triggers and that appears on your own phone, asking you to approve a mobile-money payment with your PIN. For a betting deposit it is one way funds can reach a licensee. Check the receiver and amount on the prompt before you enter anything.
Definition
STK stands for SIM Toolkit, the menu layer on a SIM card. In payment use, an STK push means the business sends a request to the mobile-money provider, and the provider then pops up a payment screen on the customer's handset. You approve it there with your PIN. Safaricom's Daraja portal describes its platform as offering access to Safaricom and M-PESA APIs that bridge payment integration into web and mobile apps. Its detailed M-PESA Express pages could not be opened when this guide was prepared, so field names, timeouts and result codes are not described here.
The order of events in a deposit
- You start the deposit
You enter an amount inside your own account, after signing in yourself.
- The prompt appears
Your handset shows the payment request. Read the receiver and amount on it before going further.
- You decide and enter the PIN
The PIN goes only into that prompt, never to anyone who asks for it elsewhere.
- Confirmation
Check the confirmation you receive against the amount you intended, then check that the account was credited.
What the law says about it
Section 73(2) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 requires a licensee to credit to a registered player's account all funds received from or on behalf of the player. Section 73(4)(c) lists mobile money transfer among the permitted ways of receiving funds. The Central Bank of Kenya page on the National Payments System says mobile phone money transfer operators are authorised as Payment Service Providers under the National Payment System Act, 2011.
What to compare on the screen is set out in the guide on reading the M-Pesa confirmation before a deposit, and the full route from wallet to account is in how mobile-money deposits reach a gambling account. If money leaves your wallet but no credit appears, see a deposit deducted but not credited.
Gambling is addictive. Play responsibly, and see responsible gambling for help lines.
Questions and answers
Where do I enter my PIN?
Only on the prompt that your own handset shows after you started the payment. Never give a PIN to an agent, in a chat or on a web form, because the prompt is designed so that the secret stays on your phone.
Does the Gambling Control Act mention STK push?
No. Section 73(4)(c) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 lists mobile money transfer as a way a licensee may receive funds from a player, without naming any particular prompt technology.
What if I get a prompt I did not start?
Do not enter your PIN. Cancel it or let it lapse, and compare with the payment page inside your own account. The guide on phishing messages explains how unsolicited requests are used.
Sources
- Gambling Control Act, 2025 (No. 14 of 2025), s.73, accessed 2026-11-02
- Safaricom Daraja developer portal, accessed 2026-11-02
- Central Bank of Kenya: National Payments System, accessed 2026-11-02