Nairobi — Advertising expenditure by betting and gambling companies fell by 89 per cent to Sh131 million in the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, weighed down by stricter regulations in the sector.
Latest data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows the spend was sharply lower compared to Sh1.2 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of the 2024/25 financial year.
The steep decline follows tougher advertising rules introduced mid-last year by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) and the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB). The regulations ban celebrity and influencer endorsements, require mandatory KFCB classification for all gambling advertisements, and prohibit content that glamorises betting or portrays it as a source of income.
The rules also ban gambling advertisements near schools and religious institutions and limit betting ads to no more than 20 per cent of print advertising space.
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According to the data, betting and gambling advertising on television stood at Sh80 million in Q1 of 2025/26, down sharply from Sh796 million in Q4 of 2024/25. Radio advertising declined to Sh51 million from Sh513 million over the same period.
There was no advertising spend on print media by betting firms in Q1 of 2025/26, compared to Sh60 million in the previous quarter.
Despite the slowdown in gambling advertising, overall ad spend grew strongly in other sectors. Advertising by office equipment and supplies firms surged 537 per cent to Sh255 million during the quarter. Tourism and entertainment advertising rose 128 per cent to Sh1.8 billion, while the communications sector increased spending by 124 per cent to Sh2.2 billion.
"In Q1 2025/26, television advertising was led by the communications sector, which invested Sh1.56 billion," CA said in its Audience Measurement and Industry Trends Report.
"Tourism and entertainment and financial services followed closely, each spending over Sh1.2 billion. Media, personal care and property sectors also allocated more than Sh950 million each to television advertising."
The report noted that the communications sector continues to dominate television advertising due to the medium's wide reach and visual appeal, while tourism and financial services use TV to maximise audience reach.
On radio, financial services and transport firms were the biggest advertisers, spending Sh1.3 billion and Sh727 million respectively in Q1 of 2025/26.
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However, CA warned that the media advertising industry continues to face challenges, including a shift in audience consumption to digital platforms, measurement and monetisation gaps, and the growing strength of regional and vernacular markets.
