Get a public lottery or raffle licence from GRA
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya · sources read 2 Oct 2026
Apply to the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) with Form 7 on its GMS portal (operator.gra.go.ke). Only a body corporate can apply, and the lottery must raise money for a good cause. A short-term lottery or raffle costs KSh 10,000 to apply and KSh 100,000 for the licence; a raffle run in only one county is licensed by that county instead.
- Fee
- KSh 10,000Short-term lottery or raffle: application feeKSh 100,000Short-term lottery or raffle: licence feeKSh 5,000,000Long-term public lottery: application feeKSh 10,000,000Long-term public lottery: licence fee
- How long
- GRA must consider applications within 30 days
- Where
- Online on GRA's Gambling Management System (operator.gra.go.ke). GRA office: ACK Garden Annex, 7th & 8th Floor, 1st Ngong Avenue, Nairobi. One-county lotteries: your county government.
What you need
- Public lottery application in Form 7
- Valid KRA Tax Compliance Certificate and PIN certificate
- Certified copies of the directors' and shareholders' IDs or passports, and their police clearance certificates
- A sample ticket showing a security feature, the organisers' name and address, the lottery name, the ticket price and your GRA licence number
- List of prizes and proof that you have them
- A declaration of the good causes you will support and the budget for them
Steps
- Fill in Form 7 and gather the documents: KRA certificates, directors' IDs and police clearance, a sample ticket, the prize list and your good-cause plan.
- Log in to GRA's Gambling Management System at operator.gra.go.ke, submit the application and pay the application fee.
- GRA reviews your application and tells you within 14 days. A Board committee then approves or refuses it.
- Once approved, pay the licence fee and deposit the required security. GRA then issues your licence.
Watch out
- A raffle or lottery run only inside one county is licensed by that county government, not GRA.
- At least 30% of the lottery's gross revenue must go to the cause it was run for.
- A short-term lottery licence lasts only 3 months. A long-term one lasts 3 years.
Who can apply
- A body corporate, such as a registered company. Individuals cannot get this licence.
- The lottery must raise money for charitable purposes such as social service, public welfare, relief of distress, recreation or sport.
- GRA licenses lotteries run countrywide, in more than one county, or through the media.
Official sources (4)
- The Gambling Control (Licensing) Regulations, 2026 (L.N. 111, Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 162, 30 June 2026) gra.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Gambling Control Act, 2025 (No. 14 of 2025) gra.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Notice for the commencement of applications for gambling licensing for the year 2026 (18 Aug 2026) gra.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- GRA Gambling and Operators Administration Portal (GMS) operator.gra.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026