SBC News

Kenya has used a buffer ban on gambling adverts to enforce a brand new list of directives that will implement multiagency scrutiny of the market.

A 30-day blanket ban was introduced on 29 April by Kenya’s Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), which suspended all forms of gambling advertisements across media platforms.

This was used as sort of a regulatory ‘reset button’ due to rising rates of underage participation in the African nation’s rapidly growing gambling market.

With the temporary suspension now lifted, the BCLB has introduced new administrative guidelines that would see cross-government collaboration to keep marketing efforts in check.

Some of the new requirements prohibit operators from using ‘call-to-action’ language (ie “bet now”) in advertising materials, together with mandatory responsible gambling messages that take at least 20% of the ad space.

To ensure that all requirements are met, operators must now send marketing communications to the BCLB for approval.

After that, the materials must then be sent to the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) – a body that is responsible for determining whether advertisements are fit for public use. If the marketing material fails on any of these two stages, it will be barred from being published.

Advertising practices of operators will also be subjected to regular audits not only by the BCLB and the KFCB, but also by Kenya’s Media Council, Communications Authority, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

More regulations on the horizon
As mentioned before, all of the guidelines are being enacted administratively and are limited to advertising controls. Separately, there is a legislative draft bill introduced in 2023 that is much larger in scope and is still pending parliamentary approval.

For example, one of the proposals set out in the bill is to introduce stricter age verification protocols for operators – whereas the 2025 guidelines only touch on ad content restrictions.

Similarly, while the latest guidelines are primarily focused on safer play messaging across advertisements, the draft bill calls for the expansion of consumer protection standards, such as mandatory responsible gambling programmes for operators.

Some of the other proposals carrying significant industry impact that the gambling advertising guidelines do not cover include updated tax regimes, new licensing categories, as well as the establishment of a completely new gambling regulator replacing the BCLB.

Since 2023, voting on the bill has been postponed several times, and there is still no clear indication of when this might happen.

Germany will implement a new oversight of the treatment of addiction and patient care, impacting all federal states and relevant authorities, including gambling oversight.

The Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Parliament, has confirmed the appointment of three new General Commissioners tasked with leading national strategies on addiction policy, recovery, and patient welfare.

Professor Dr Hendrik Streeck (CDU), a leading physician and Bundestag member, has been appointed as the Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues. Further appointments include Katrin Staffler (CSU) as the new Federal Commissioner for Care, and Stefan Schwartze (SPD), who will continue his mandate as Commissioner for Patient Affairs.

The appointments were confirmed by the Federal Cabinet on 28 May 2025, following recommendations from Federal Health Minister Nina Warken. All three roles are embedded within the remit of the Federal Ministry of Health.

Policy reset to tame Länder frictions
The reshuffle signals a reorientation in how Germany addresses complex addiction challenges within its decentralised healthcare structure, where the Länder (states) hold autonomy.

Dr. Streeck succeeds former Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhard Blienert, who in 2023 submitted a recommendation to the Bundestag proposing that gambling advertising be regulated under the same restrictions as tobacco.

Blienert’s proposal drew criticism from the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV), which argued that such measures would unfairly stigmatise operators, and media of a regulated sector.

The appointment of a new “Drug Czar” is expected to shape future regulation and public health strategies across multiple sectors including gambling where authorities remain divided over the severity of risks and the strength of supporting research.

No Harmony on Gambling Addiction
German Stakeholders remain divided on the political fallout of the 2024 Federal Ministry of Health Report, which estimated that 1.3 million Germans suffer from gambling addiction — more than three times prior estimates.

Though intended as a call to action for public health, the report was widely criticised for its methodology and accused of inflating figures to support tighter controls.

Industry stakeholders and academics argued the findings blurred distinctions between recreational and problem gambling, fuelling political momentum for advertising restrictions and player spending caps.

Several Länder governments rejected the report’s implications, viewing it as an overstep by federal authorities into constitutionally reserved state powers under the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV).

Towards a Cooperative Platform
Katrin Staffler will now spearhead efforts to develop sustainable care infrastructure across all regions, while Stefan Schwartze continues to represent patient rights at the federal level — a role that has grown in prominence amid post-pandemic restructuring and increasing digitalisation in healthcare.

Together, the appointments represent a strategic realignment in German health policy, aiming for stronger integration between addiction treatment, care services, and patient advocacy. Their combined mandate is expected to drive national standards and policy coherence — while continuing to test the balance of power between federal leadership and regional autonomy.