Latest Gambling News: Kenyan Communications Authority Issues Eight Fines For Illegal Gambling Promotions, and more

Catch up on some of the stories our gambling compliance analysts have covered lately, and stay up-to-date on the latest news.

Kenyan Communications Authority Issues Eight Fines For Illegal Gambling Promotions

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) has fined eight broadcasters KES$500,000 (€3,410) for airing unlicensed prize competition promotions and promised additional sanctions, including revoking their licences, if they fail to comply within 12 hours.

The CAK announced the fines in a social media post on May 26, with a written letter in response to public concern about an exposé that revealed broadcasters allow unlicensed prize competition promotions and some religious platforms are being exploited to promote unlicensed betting.

In its letter, the CAK outlines its timeline of enforcement action against 33 broadcasters airing unlicensed gambling promotions, including notices of violation sent to them on March 13, 2025, and the subsequent warning it issued to the rest of the broadcasting industry on April 23.

On April 29, the Betting Control and Licensing Board issued a directive suspending all gambling advertising for 30 days. The CAK also issued a suspension notice to all the non-compliant broadcasters.

Despite this action, a review undertaken by the CAK in the second week of May revealed some broadcasters continued to air the illegal promotions.

The CAK said it is “committed to promoting responsible broadcasting while protecting consumers and appreciates the role of investigative media in bringing to light issues of public interest in the ICT sector”.

Kenyan authorities are currently reviewing gambling advertising guidelines and the possibility of introducing affordability checks, according to the head of the BCLB.

UAE Issues Licences To Scientific Games, Random State  

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) gambling regulator has added lottery companies Scientific Games and Random State to its list of vendor licensees.

The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) this week named US-based Scientific Games’ subsidiary Scientific Games International and Swedish digital lottery company Random State to the list, marking the eighth and ninth vendors approved to do business in the UAE.

Michael Conforti, Scientific Games’ president for international business, said in a statement on Tuesday (May 27) that the company will “offer high-performing products that will responsibly help drive revenue for lottery programs supporting local communities and projects of national importance”.

Random State co-founder and COO Adam Fonsica said on Tuesday that the UAE could become a leading digital lottery market.

“Earning the GCGRA’s trust is a major milestone for us, and we’re eager to introduce our gamified eInstants and custom draw games to local players later this year,” he said in a statement.

The statement said the company’s first titles should go live by the end of June, with Random State’s local partner to be named in due course.

IGT subsidiary IGT Global Services was added to the vendor list in early May, joining Novomatic, EQL Games, Xpoint Technology, PayBy Technology Projects, Smartplay International and Aristocrat Leisure.

Only Wynn Resorts and local lottery venture The Game have received land-based licences to date. The GCGRA has yet to approve internet gaming or sports wagering licensees.

Scientific Games is a lottery entity divested from the larger company of the same name that was retitled Light & Wonder in 2022.

California Cardrooms Opposed To Proposed Rules

Cardroom owners in California are opposed to changes in state gaming regulations released by the Bureau of Gambling Control (BGC) within the state attorney general’s office dealing with the rotation of the player-dealer position and blackjack-style games.

Among the proposed regulations is that the player-dealer position shall rotate to at least two players other than the third-party providers of proposition player services (TPPPS) every 40 minutes or the game is over. There will also be a notice at each table informing customers when a player may accept the player-dealer position.

In a Standard Regulatory Impact Assessment (SRIA) issued by Attorney General Rob Bonta, analysts noted that the proposed player-dealer regulation will eliminate 50 percent of cardroom revenue by sending customers to tribal gaming in the state and casinos outside the state.

“We rely on our cardroom not only to provide high-quality jobs but for the tax revenue generated that makes up over 60 percent of our city’s general fund,” said mayor Dandy De Paula, City of Hawaiian Gardens. “We strongly call on the Attorney General to not move forward with these punitive and needless regulations.”

Bonta also released proposed regulations for what types of blackjack games are permitted. California law prohibits any game of 21 and any banked game.

The BGC will hold public hearings on the rotation of player-dealer positions on Wednesday (May 28) and blackjack-style games on Thursday (May 29).

Connecticut Senate Passes Sweepstakes Ban

Connecticut's Senate has unanimously approved a broad gaming reform bill that would expressly prohibit sweepstakes platforms that replicate online casinos or sports betting.

Senate Bill 1235 was initially introduced on behalf of the state's Department of Consumer Protection, which already has taken several enforcement actions against sweepstakes sites based on existing state laws.

Further provisions of SB 1235 clarify legal requirements related to employee licensing for live casino studios and the voiding of bets by licensed sports-betting operators.

The bill also would impose a statutory ban on any online casino games that display any graphics or verbiage "that is inaccurate or misleading and would reasonably be expected to confuse or mislead patrons... in order to induce patrons to engage in gaming".

However, the bill was amended on the Senate floor on Thursday (May 22) to remove additional provisions to ban online lottery couriers, allow for multistate internet gaming, and impose additional restrictions on illegal advertising.

To become law, SB 1235 now must be approve by the Connecticut House of Representatives before lawmakers adjourn on June 4.

Nevada Passes Bill To Deter Illegal Gambling

An amended bill strengthening enforcement measures in Nevada against illegal gambling has been passed unanimously by the state's Assembly, sending it back to the Senate for concurrence.

Senate Bill 256, authored by Democratic Senator Rochelle Nguyen, passed in the Assembly by a 42-0 vote on Thursday (May 22). The bill allows Nevada courts to impose stiffer fines beyond the $50,000 fine illegal operators currently face for violating the state’s gaming laws, while converting certain offenses from misdemeanors into gross misdemeanors.

Existing Nevada law includes provisions to prohibit persons from engaging in gambling without a state gaming license; however, SB 256 would amend existing laws to also allow for the seizure of assets from illegal gambling.

The Assembly amended the bill to add Assemblymember Brittney Miller, a Democrat, as Nguyen’s joint sponsor, a decision that does not seem likely to make it more difficult for the Senate reapproving the bill. Once approved by the Senate, the bill can be sent to Republican Governor Joe Lombardo’s desk to be signed into law.

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