Kenya’s Gambling Regulatory Authority appoints Peter Maina Karimi as Director General

The appointment gives the new regulator a substantive CEO as Kenya moves into the final stretch of the handover from BCLB and the restart of licensing under the Gambling Control Act.

Kenya’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has appointed Mr. Peter Maina Karimi as its new Director General, with the appointment announced by board chair Joseph Kirui Limo in a statement dated 26 February 2026.

Local reporting says Karimi emerged top after a competitive recruitment process and beat seven other shortlisted candidates, becoming the first substantive Director General under the new Authority as the transition away from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) continues.

The role is defined in law: the Gambling Control Act, 2025 requires the Director General to be appointed through an open, transparent and competitive process, sets minimum qualifications (including Kenyan citizenship and 10 years’ senior management experience), and provides for a three-year term, renewable once.

GRA itself was established by the Gambling Control Act, which commenced in August 2025, creating a new national regulator for betting, casinos and other gambling activities. The Authority’s governance structure has been taking shape since late 2025, including the appointment of Joseph Kirui Limo as non-executive chairperson (effective 24 October 2025) via the Kenya Gazette.

With legal and industry briefings pointing to the transition being completed by end-February 2026, Karimi’s appointment is a practical milestone: the market will now watch for the first operational signals on licensing timelines, compliance expectations and how the Authority intends to enforce responsible gambling and market integrity standards across both retail and online channels.