Kenya - Obtain a Public Gaming License

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Procedure

Apply In-Person:

1. To apply for a Public gaming (Casino) license in Kenya, the applicant has to contact the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) offices to make the application.
2. Here the applicant will be given an application Application for Public Gaming License – Form 13A and a Probity form by a licensing officer to fill and submit.
3. Fill in the application and attach the required documents. A list of the can be found under the Required Documents" section of this page.
4. Proceed to pay the required application fees and attach the payment receipt to the application document. The application fees to be paid can be found under the "Fees" section of this page.
5. Note that the fees are paid upfront and are non-refundable.
6. Submit the completed application form, requirements and payment receipt before the Board in person and make a presentation regarding the proposed operation for the licence applied. The presentation shall be judged on the following criteria;
   • Understanding of the operations regarding the licence being applied. In this case Public Gaming(casino).
   • Submission of the requisite documents
   • Level of preparedness to commence operations
   • Demonstrate innovativeness and creativity
   • Potentiality
7. The board will review the application regarding any areas of noncompliance with the license requirements which the applicant is required to address. In addition, the board conducts a premise inspection to ensure that the applicant has adequate technical and administrative capacity to carry out the business for which the license is sought.
8. The Board may require further details merited to finalize the application request in conforming to the regulations as per the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act, Cap 131 Laws of Kenya.
9. Upon successful review and approval of the application the applicant will be advised by the board when the license certificate is available for collection. The whole process usually takes six month to complete.

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Required Documents

• Duly filled Application for Public Gaming LICENSE – Form 13A
• Proposed operating name of the business if different from the registered
• Business form (sole Proprietorship of joint venture)
• Names of Directors and shareholders to be supported by a current CR12
• A PIN Certificate & Tax compliance certificate from Kenya Revenue Authority.
• A copy of the certificate of incorporation or registration as the case may be.
• Certificate of Good Conduct for the Company Directors.
• Memorandum and articles of association for the company whose objects must among others include gaming.
• Evidence of capacity to undertake public gaming operation in a seamless manner.
• A business plan showing the minimum investment and Sources of funding.
• Statement on the choice of Kenya for the licenses applied for and the anticipated benefits to: -
  • Punters/players
  • Kenyan public
  • Government of Kenya
  • Directors and shareholders
• The proposed games of chance to be offered in the casino with a brief description of each game.
• The name and full address of the company(s)/manufacturer(s) that/who will be providing the applicant with the gaming equipment, such as tables,

Gaming machines, cards and all other devices and systems to be used in the casino.

• The rules for all the games to be offered as well as the pay back percentages.
• Proposal on how to mitigate excessive play and underage participation
• Dispute resolution procedure
• Audited Accounts for applicant’s other business operation for the last three (3) years, and evidence that none of them has a pending litigation and if any, provide Case No., nature and status
• The proposed principal place of business Physical and contact address
• In case of a leased premises copy of lease agreement executed due to be executed.
• Completed a Probity form to facilitate due diligence. The Probity form must be completed by all directors.

Office Locations & Contacts

Betting Control and Licensing Board - Head Office
Kenya Charity Sweepstakes House,
3rd and 8th Floor, Mama Ngina Street, Nairobi
P.O Box 43977-00100
Tel: +254-20-2220186 / 316471 / 343578/9
Fax: +254-20-2227127
Email: [email protected]
Website Betting Control and Licensing Board

Eligibility

• Person / individuals wishing to organize and manage gaming, on premises to which the public may resort for the purpose of playing games, not being unlawful games, are eligible to make the application.

Fees

• Application fees-Kshs.1,000,000/=(non–refundable)
• License fee Grant-Kshs.3,000,000/=
• Investigation fee
• Local Director -Kshs. 250,000(non-refundable)
• Foreign Director- Kshs.1,000,000/=(non-refundable)

These above fees are paid upfront and are non-refundable

Validity

• The validity period is one year.

Documents to Use

• APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC GAMING LICENSE – Form 13A
• Probity form

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

• The processing time is six month.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M".

Instructions

• Upon successful applications and issuance of a license to an applicant, the license MUST be operationalised within six (6) months and evidence shall be required to demonstrate commencement of operations or milestones achieved towards its operationalization.
• The Board shall also inspect the proposed location and the premises to determine their suitability for Public Gaming (Casino).

Required Information

• Name and address of applicant.
• Name under which business will be conducted.
• Date and place of registration.
• Full names and of all partners, directors and secretary of a body corporate, managers.
• Criminal History.
• bankruptcy details .
• Particulars of games to organize and manage and state briefly the manner in which each game will be organized and managed.
• Past applications.
• Expected gross turnover for which the first twelve .
• Name and address of the accountant to appoint for the purpose of auditing the statement of accounts.

Need for the Document

• No person can organize and manage gaming, on premises to which the public may resort for the purpose of playing games, without a public gaming licence issued by the Betting control and licensing board.
• The public gaming license permits the holder to organize and manage gaming, on premises to which the public may resort for the purpose of playing games, not being unlawful games.

Information which might help

• “gaming” means the playing of a game of chance for winnings in money or money’s worth
• All applicants shall be required to appear before the Board and make a presentation regarding the proposed operation for the licence applied. The presentation shall be judged on the following criteria;
  • Understanding of the operations regarding the licence being applied for in this case Public Gaming(casino).
  • Submission of the requisite documents
  • Level of preparedness to commence operations
  • Demonstrate innovativeness and creativity
  • Potentiality
• The Board may require further details merited to finalize the application request in conforming to the regulations as per the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act, Cap 131 Laws of Kenya.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Service Charter
• Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act

Others

• Betting Control and Licensing Board was established by an Act of Parliament Chapter 131, Laws of Kenya of 1966. The Board is responsible for regulating betting, lotteries and gaming activities through formulation and issuance of policy guidelines. Over the last few years, the Board has implemented various measures, which have laid a firm foundation for the enforcement and implementation of gaming laws and regulations.
• The Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act Chapter 131, empowers the Board to license and control premises and the activities carried there in.