Kenya cuts betting excise duty to 5% in major tax reform

Kenya’s Parliament has approved a major amendment to the Finance Bill 2025, reducing the excise duty on betting stakes from 15% to 5%. Lawmakers reportedly shifted the point of taxation from when a bet is placed to when money is transferred from mobile wallets to betting accounts. The change was said to be aimed at tightening tax enforcement, especially on foreign or virtual betting firms. Authorities indicated that the move would help capture revenue before funds reach platforms operating beyond local oversight.

The Finance Committee chair noted that many offshore operators had previously evaded taxation under the old system. Reports stated that the Kenya Revenue Authority had already integrated with 36 betting firms to enable real-time monitoring. While excise duty collection rose 24% to KSh 9.97 billion, withholding tax on winnings dropped 15% to KSh 4.81 billion. Analysts linked the decline to tighter odds and reduced player payouts.

Despite public concern over gambling’s social impact, the government appeared to focus on closing tax loopholes rather than introducing new levies. Observers noted that Kenya remains the third most active betting market in Sub-Saharan Africa.