The African iGaming Alliance (AiA) and the Association of Gaming Operators of Kenya (AGOK) have entered a three-year partnership designed to strengthen cooperation between Kenya’s licensed gambling industry and the wider African gaming sector.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by AiA chief executive Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe and AGOK chief executive Dr John Mutua. It creates a formal framework for the two organisations to work together on regulatory policy, responsible gambling, consumer protection, taxation, licensing and compliance, payments and efforts to curb illegal gambling.
The agreement also covers anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures, market research, technology and innovation. AiA and AGOK intend to exchange industry data and regulatory experience while exploring joint conferences, workshops, webinars, stakeholder roundtables and capacity-building programmes.
A central aim of the partnership is to give Kenya’s regulated operators a stronger role in discussions about how gambling markets across Africa should develop. AiA operates as a pan-African industry organisation, while AGOK represents licensed operators in Kenya, allowing information from the Kenyan market to feed into broader debates over regulation and enforcement.
The partnership comes during a major transition for Kenya’s gambling industry. The Gambling Control Act, introduced in 2025, replaced legislation dating back to 1966 and established the Gambling Regulatory Authority to take over oversight duties previously handled by the Betting Control and Licensing Board. Five subsidiary regulations supporting the new framework took effect on 1 July 2026.
Implementation has not been straightforward. In July, Kenya’s High Court issued a stay affecting the new licensing regulations following a legal challenge focused partly on increased licence fees and capital requirements. The order temporarily disrupted the licensing process.
The court later partially lifted the suspension, allowing most of the regulatory framework and licensing process to resume. However, the disputed increases in licensing fees and capital requirements remain suspended while the substantive judicial review continues, with a judgment expected in October 2026.
Against that backdrop, the AiA-AGOK agreement is intended to create a more consistent channel for cooperation between industry representatives in Kenya and stakeholders elsewhere in Africa. The initial term will last three years and can be extended if both organisations agree.