Unlock the Best of Kenyan Betting in 2023

The Kenyan gambling sector has seen a veritable boom recently. A large proportion of the adult population has taken to wagering on online venues. Demand creates supply. The number of betting sites began to grow exponentially. This post will help you sort them out.  

How Did the Betting Industry in Kenya Become so Burgeoning?

Kenya is one of the top three gambling markets on the African continent, along with Nigeria and South Africa. How come gambling is so prevalent and flourishing in the region? 

The first reason is legality. A broad spectrum of activities are allowed in the country, including sports betting, casinos, lotteries, horse racing, and others. Any bookmaking company can apply for a license and run a legitimate operation.

The second reason is a long history. Gambling was legalized in Kenya as far back as 1966. Thus, the local industry has developed unhindered for many decades. Online venues that later pushed their physical counterparts to the sidelines further popularized the sector.

The third is mobility. The emergence of mobile technology couldn’t but affect gambling in the most positive way. When a betting shop is right in your hand, it’s hard to resist the temptation to place a bet or two. Especially when a mobile wallet is also at your fingertips.  

Plus, we can add a number of socio-economic reasons, and of course, Kenyans’ love of sports. The bottom line: the domestic gambling market is rapidly expanding, and the pool of betting companies in Kenya is changing likewise.

Our Criteria for a Timeworthy Bookmaker in 2023

It takes all sorts of bookmakers to make a gambling world. Therefore, the national market is spangled with offerings. It’s got everything: websites, apps, SMS codes, and сhatbots, with which you can wager on sports, casinos, bingo, poker, and a slew of other options.

In addition to entertainment varieties and types of betting products, companies may differ in the way players:

🔐 sign up and log in;

💳 top up accounts;

🎫 make predictions;

🤳 verify profiles;

💸 take out winnings;

🎁 earn bonuses.

With all this rich diversity, how do you figure out and identify a worthy bookmaker? Well, that is possible. We believe that a notable operator must provide a safe betting environment that meets all the needs of the times. And here is what we mean by that.

National License and Players’ Safety

Obtaining a gambling license comes first, without a doubt. Such a document is proof that the bookie complies with the rules. Moreover, there’s an authorized body that controls this compliance. In Kenya, it’s the BCLB or Betting Control and Licensing Board.

By law, the license must be renewed annually. Failure to obtain or renew the authorization can result in sanctions, including criminal ones. However, the precautions don’t stop there. Betting operators must ensure the digital security of their players.

While staking on the website, gamblers must be confident that their personal data are under lock and key, accounts are well protected against hacking, and payments are routed appropriately. This can be accomplished with the help of the following tools:

🔒 Strong security protocols;

🔒 Automated backups;

🔒 Data loss prevention;

🔒 Two-factor authentication;

🔒 Identity authorization;

🔒 Rigorous privacy policy.

Commitment to responsible gambling is a must on the checklist, too. Bookmakers should aim to provide a comfortable and safe betting experience without jeopardizing players’ mental health and financial well-being. They can do it by implementing:

👐 deposit amount limits;

👐 betting limits per day;

👐 self-exclusion feature;

👐 discreet marketing.

Why Curaçao and Malta Licenses Do Not Guarantee Safety for Kenyans

Gaming licenses issued by Curaçao and Malta cover all types of online betting activities and are recognized in numerous jurisdictions worldwide. Some bookmaking firms in the Kenyan market are holders of such licenses.

However, the country’s paramount gambling regulator is the BCLB. The Board guarantees that licensed operators satisfy all the national standards. If the permit was granted by someone else, there’s no such guarantee. 

Clear and Intuitive Navigation

In today’s world, where the gambling industry has moved online, bookmakers are vying for bettors’ attention with powerful weapons: user interface and user experience. The most cutting-edge UI/UX design wins.

What sets a modern website apart? It’s pleasing to the eye and easy to grasp. The design of such a website is called intuitive, which means you don’t need special guidance and can quickly put two and two together. 

A usable state-of-the-art interface is uncluttered yet engaging, with readable texts, clear icons, and well-applied colors. An up-to-date online betting platform should stand out with its distinct style and straightforward navigation achieved through such means as:

🧭 Familiar terminology;

🧭 Design consistency;

🧭 Well-built hierarchy;

🧭 Search functionality;

🧭 User-friendly menus.

When launching a site, companies should remember that most gamblers tend to wager from their mobile phones. Thus, the web design must be responsive or adaptable for various devices. Other ingredients contributing to an ideal user experience comprise:

🚀 Speedy page loading;

🔧 Customization capability;

🔔 Alerts and notifications;

💬 Social media integration. 

List of Sports & Betting Markets

A bookie may have an innovative, classy website with advanced encryption, but if it has little to offer in terms of betting, it’s unlikely to be on top. After all, the goal is to provide you with a fulfilling gaming experience, which is impossible without plentiful sports and markets.

Football, basketball, tennis, and rugby are some of the conventional sports Kenyan bookmakers accept wagers on. However, the same options across different betting platforms can get tiresome. So it’s great if the sports range goes beyond the standard set of choices.

Diversity is vital in betting markets as well. The proposed bet types should be suitable for both new and expert punters so that everyone can pick a strategy and make a prediction based on their knowledge level.

Let’s take, for instance, Kenyans’ beloved soccer. A beginner can start with homespun markets, such as 1×2, Over/Under, or Both Teams To Score. Seasoned bettors are able to devise intricate strategies by utilizing more complex markets like:

⚽ Half-Time/Full-Time;

⚽ Asian Handicap;

⚽ Result in Minute;

⚽ Who Will Score Goal;

⚽ To Score in Both Halves;

⚽ Last Goal Time.

Customer Service

Convenient navigation, well-defined terms and conditions, and an extensive FAQ section can answer many of your questions. But there are sufficient scenarios when you can’t do without a bookmaker’s support team. These embrace:

❓ Account login issues;

❓ Verification procedure;

❓ Withdrawal problems;

❓ Account suspension;

❓ Account unblocking.

Of course, the above situations are far from all cases that customer care can assist you with. In fact, you can ask them about anything related to the betting site and its operation. The quality of support service can be assessed by several criteria:

📚 Competence. Every customer expects a response to their query or a solution to their problem. If a support staff member has difficulty doing so, it’s hardly proper support. 

👉 Clarity. The answer you get to your question shouldn’t raise further inquiries. It should be clear, understandable, and comprehensive, with a concrete action plan.

⏳ Timeliness. Time is precious. So, it’s crucial for a betting operator to have a communication channel for instant advice and 24/7 support to aid at any time.

💁 Empathy. At the end of the day, we’re all human. It’s very valuable to hear that the person on the other end of the line sympathizes with you and sincerely wants to help.

With diverse support channels, customer care can efficiently handle requests depending on their urgency and complexity. To avoid long waits and provide better assistance, top-notch Kenyan bookies use the following ways of contact:

📞 Helpline;

💬 Live chat;

📧 Email;

📥 Online forms;

📟 Callback;

📱 Messengers.  

Our Top Picks of Bookmakers in Kenya

Finally, the moment has come to introduce some of the main actors of the Kenyan gambling industry who fall under the criteria of a time-worthy bookmaker for 2023. We’ll divide the companies into several categories based on their characteristics. 

We’ll highlight those who employ stringent security measures and stay current and those who generally do well but fail to earn an excellent rating for one of the parameters.

Safe and Modern

Here comes 1xBet, a far-famed brand and one of the high-caliber betting operators in the Kenyan market. The bookmaker leverages every opportunity to make its online platform an up-to-date, full-featured product for hassle-free wagering.

Countless sporting events and markets, extended customization capabilities, secure data storage, multi-channel 24/7 support — this is just the beginning of a long list of benefits. In addition to sports betting, there are plenty of other gambling activities to enjoy.

Along comes 22bet, another example of how a modern online bookmaker should look like. With its user interface being as intuitive as possible, the 22bet website allows you to plunge into your much-loved pastime in a comfortable environment.

This online betting venue accommodates a host of sports games from the world’s premier tournaments. You can sign up in a minute, place a stake in one click, and withdraw your winnings instantly to your preferred mobile wallet.

Safe but Not Really Modern

Now, we turn to companies slightly behind the trends but still perfectly safe to play. Our first representative is Betlion. When you hit the website, the first thing that catches your eye is the somewhat outdated interface, but don’t be quick to judge by appearance.

The firm has a valid BCLB license, adheres to responsible gaming, and follows a strong privacy policy, thus setting the scene for a secure wagering experience. It may take some time to get to grips with the UI, but soon, you’ll manage your betslip without difficulty.

OdiBets is a not really modern but fully legal and operational online betting platform. The site becomes user-friendly when you’ve been a user for a while. But overall, it has everything you need to bet without much effort and even get incentivized through bonus offers.

The relatively modest collection of sports is compensated by virtual games and multiple jackpot competitions. You can gamble via the desktop or mobile version of the OdiBets website or through the bookie’s light Android application.

Not Safe but Modern

CyberBet is a clear case of a state-of-the-art, fancy betting site with handy navigation. It’s rich in features, hints, search options, and menus. All in all, the bookmaker does everything possible to make you visit the website for the first time and want to stay here forever.

CyberBet houses lots of scheduled and live sporting events, cybersports contests, and copious casino games. But what’s the catch? The truth is that the business lacks a permit from Kenyan authorities. The bookie is incorporated in Cyprus and licensed in Curaçao.

GGbet is another illustration of a gambling website that promises you the most cutting-edge experience but doesn’t ensure security. It hosts all imaginable entertainment, payment systems for every taste, free bets, and other perks to reward your engagement.

And all these goodies come crashing down when it comes to licensing. Yes, GGbet is not authorized by the BCLB. Just like CyberBet, the bookmaker holds the same international license issued by the authorities of Curaçao.

Neither Safe nor Modern

This thing is dangerous. We’ve decided not to mention bookmakers who do not inspire any confidence either by their appearance or their legal status.

And it’s for your own good. Let these names remain unspoken so you will not be tempted in the least to regard them as real betting opportunities.

Other Kenyan Bookmakers We Didn’t Mention Today

Of course, the brands we’ve covered in this article are by no means the entire list of dependable representatives of the internal market. Here are some other betting companies in Kenya you can safely look at:

✅ MelBet;

✅ Betika;

✅ SportyBet;

✅ BetWinner;

✅ MozzartBet;

✅ PlayaBet;

✅ SportPesa.

Conclusion

The Kenyan gambling industry is on the rise and is projected to soar further. That means bookmakers will also continue to proliferate. But they will not take you back anymore. Now that you’re aware of the primary selection criteria, you can easily sort things out.