The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has issued fresh tax compliance directives to betting firms operating in the country ahead of the renewal of licenses by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB).
KRA, in a statement on Tuesday, April 29, issued a reminder to all licensed betting and gaming firms that the current operating licenses for the financial year 2024/2025, issued by BCLB under the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act (BL&G Act) Cap. 131, are due to expire on June 30, 2025, pursuant to Section 9 of the BL&G Act.
In this regard, the authority encouraged all betting and gaming operators to update their tax matters with it to avoid any inconveniences.
“Clearance by KRA is a mandatory requirement for renewal of the licenses by the BCLB,” read part of the statement.
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KRA issues directive to betting firms over renewal of licenses
To facilitate the clearance process and validate the tax compliance status, KRA said that it will confirm a number of key compliance requirements and disclosures in accordance with the Tax Procedures Act.
They include:
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Provision of a copy of the current CR12.
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Updated Company iTax profile with the current Directors as per the CR12, the physical location of the company and the contact details.
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Filed returns for all tax obligations and respective periods for both the Company and its Directors.
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Settled tax liabilities for both the Company and its Directors.
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Provision of all requested records for ongoing tax audits and/or compliance checks.
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Full access to systems for ongoing system audits as is necessary for the purpose of the audit.
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Valid Tax Compliance Certificates (TCC) for both the company and directors.
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Integration with KRA Systems as per requirement and for purposes of daily tax remittances and data transmission.
The relevant documents/records should be delivered to the KRA Offices at Ushuru Pension Plaza, Muthangari Drive or to the official email addresses of the relationship managers.
“KRA remains committed to support all taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations in a timely and efficient manner. All taxpayers are encouraged to act promptly and take advantage of the tax amnesty before the 30th of June 2025 deadline,” the statement adds.
BCLB suspends all gambling adverts
The directive by KRA comes hours after BCLB ordered for the immediate suspension of all gambling advertisements and testimonials across all media platforms for a period of thirty days effective April 29, 2025.
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The licensing body cited the proliferation of gambling activities across the country.
In addition, it raised concerns about the rampant airing of gambling advertisements during the watershed period (5:00 am to 10:00 pm), thereby exposing vulnerable members of the population, particularly minors, who are gradually drawn into gambling-related addiction.
BCLB clarified that gambling activities include betting, gaming, lottery prize competitions, and all related promotional undertakings.
The suspension covers television and radio advertisements; social media platforms; and print media such as newspapers, magazines, and flyers.
It also applies to outdoor advertising—including billboards and branded transport—SMS, email campaigns, push notifications, celebrity endorsements, and influencer marketing.
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