Responsible gambling: limits, self-exclusion and help

Gambling is addictive, and the maths is against the player. If betting costs you more money or time than you chose, you can set limits, exclude yourself or call the regulator's toll-free line, 0800-723-770.

Last updated 2026-10-04

Where to get help now

This site is not a counselling service and cannot act on your behalf. If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or a health facility.

Signs that betting is doing harm

Section 115(1) of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 describes the situation self-exclusion is meant for: gambling that is harmful to the person, or difficulty limiting the money or time spent on it, with adverse consequences for that person, for others or for the community. In daily life that can look like this:

• staking money that was set aside for rent, food, school fees or debts;
• raising stakes or placing more bets to recover earlier losses;
• borrowing to bet, or hiding bets from family;
• betting for longer than planned, or feeling restless when not betting;
• treating betting as a way to solve a money problem.

One sign is enough to act on. Betting is a paid pastime with a built-in cost, which the guide on the expected value of a bet shows in numbers. It is not a source of income.

Limit tools a licensee must provide

Regulation 87 of the Gambling Control (Conduct of Gambling Operations) Regulations, 2026 requires a licensee to give players accessible, real-time tools to control their gambling. The regulation lists:

• a facility for setting deposit limits on a daily, weekly and monthly basis;
• loss, session and expenditure limits;
• reality checks: pop-up notifications showing how long you have been playing;
• an easy to access option for self-exclusion for a period of at least twenty-four hours;
• a link to the national gambling self-exclusion register;
• a player savings tool.

Set a limit before a session, not during it. The session budget planner turns a monthly ceiling into per-session and per-bet figures you can enter into those tools.

Self-exclusion in brief

Under section 115 a person may voluntarily enter a self-exclusion agreement and must notify the Authority, which keeps a register and notifies all licensees. Licensees must then refuse service, stop marketing to the person, close the person's accounts and return any funds held in them.

The 2026 regulations add a form (Form 1 in the First Schedule) with periods of six months, one year, two years or an indefinite period, and state that the chosen period cannot be revoked or shortened before it expires. The full sequence is in the guide on how to self-exclude from betting in Kenya.

Rules that protect players

• No credit. Section 74(1)(a) of the Act bars a licensee from providing credit to a player or on a player's account.
• Adults only. Section 72(3) requires proof of age of majority before a player is registered.
• Responsible gambling messages. Regulation 97 requires licensees to display them in premises and on online platforms.

Practical habits

Decide the amount you can lose without touching essentials, and stop when it is gone. Do not top up in the same session. Keep betting money apart from household money, and take breaks measured in days, not minutes. More on this is in the guide on setting a betting budget and limits.