Gaming Industry Now a Big Tax Contributor as KRA Reports Strong Revenue.

Kenya’s betting sector is bringing in more tax money than ever before and playing a bigger role in supporting public development. According to new data from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), taxes collected from betting firms have surged past expectations in the 2024/2025 financial year.

KRA earned over Kshs. 13.2 billion from excise duty on betting services, beating its original goal of Kshs. 11.3 billion by more than 17%. Betting Tax also saw strong results, reaching Kshs. 5.7 billion—22% higher than last year.

This growth is largely due to improved systems that link betting companies directly to KRA. This setup makes it easier to track transactions and collect taxes quickly and efficiently.

At the same time, Kenya’s general economy has slowed to 4.7% growth. But despite this, KRA’s overall tax collection still grew by nearly 7%, ending the year at Kshs. 2.571 trillion. Much of this progress has been helped by the steady rise of betting revenue, showing that the industry is becoming a dependable source of funding.

The betting sector is now proving to be a strong partner in national development. This shows that with the right systems and oversight, the gambling industry can contribute meaningfully to national development.

Read Also: Gambling Control Bill: What It Means for Kenya’s Betting Industry