The government has ordered the immediate shutdown of 23 television stations, including Kameme TV, for defying betting advertisement regulations.

In a letter addressed to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) Director General David Mugonyi, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) requested the closure of the listed stations, citing violations of a 30-day suspension on betting advertisements.

“Following the board’s recent press statement announcing a 30-day suspension of betting advertisements, it has come to our attention that several media outlets continue to run unauthorised betting promotions,” BCLB director Peter Mbugi said.

According to Mbugi, the violations include displaying mobile money payment details such as till numbers and pay bill numbers on-screen, and urging viewers to participate in betting promotions for a chance to win.

“The board is actively monitoring TV and radio broadcasts and has identified specific TV stations engaging in these unauthorised activities,” he said.

“In light of these breaches, we urge the Communications Authority to take immediate action against the non-compliant media houses as per your mandate.”

The 23 TV stations listed for shutdown include: Yahweh, JCDH, Swahili, Deliverance, Ngumbao, Aviation, Nyumba Itu, Venus, Michezo, Humble Touch, Massa, Goodwill, Moja One, Repower, Naivera, Happy, Tohanchane, Favour Life, Wave Time, Jawabu, Maajabu, Madhabahu, and Kameme.

“The board has determined that necessary measures must be taken against the listed TV stations, including their immediate shutdown,” Mbugi added.

In addition, the BCLB has written to telecommunications provider Safaricom requesting the suspension of all associated till and pay bill numbers linked to the promotions.

“The board also copies this letter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations with a view to having the promoters brought to book,” Mbugi added.

This action comes weeks after the BCLB shut down several unlicensed betting sites in a continued crackdown aimed at curbing illegal gambling activities.

On April 29, the board suspended all gambling advertisements and promotional content across all media platforms including TV, radio, print, social media, billboards, SMS, email, and influencer marketing, for 30 days.

The decision followed rising concerns over the proliferation of gambling and misleading advertisements.

BCLB Chairperson Jane Mwikali highlighted the growing trend of gambling being falsely portrayed as a legitimate investment opportunity and a shortcut to wealth.

The ban was also prompted by the continued airing of betting ads during watershed hours (5:00a.m. to 10:00 p.m.), which exposed minors to gambling content and contributed to increasing cases of addiction.

To counter this, the BCLB ordered an immediate halt to all gambling-related advertisements and promotions across all media channels.