For many, the allure of winning massive jackpots and the intoxicating stories of overnight fortunes is what fuels the addiction
By Edward Githae
In Kenya, a growing crisis is unfolding – a crisis that’s leaving countless lives shattered, families torn apart, and communities struggling to cope with the fallout. Gambling addiction, fueled by the rise of online betting platforms like Aviator, has cast a dark shadow over the nation, particularly among the youth. Young Kenyans, once full of hope and promise, are falling into a perilous cycle of financial ruin, mental health breakdowns, and, tragically, suicide.
Take, for example, the heartbreaking story of Susan Njeri, a beloved small-scale trader from Shinyalu Constituency in Kakamega County. Known to her friends and family as Mama Sammy, she was well-respected in her community. But in October 2024, the weight of her losses on Aviator became too much to bear. After sinking Ksh60,000 into the platform, Mama Sammy took her own life, leaving behind a heartbroken community and a grieving friend, Rebecca Hadji. Rebecca remembers how Mama Sammy had been visibly distressed in the days leading up to her death—the emotional toll of her gambling losses had drained her, leaving her a shell of the vibrant woman she once was.
Sadly, Mama Sammy’s story is far from unique. Just months earlier, Brian Ongwae, a student at the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA), also took his life after losing Ksh15,000—his tuition fees – on a bet. In both cases, the victims were not just gamblers; they were people whose dreams and futures were crushed by a destructive addiction they couldn’t escape.
What drives this devastation?
According to Davis Achuti, a psychologist specializing in addiction, it’s the psychological trap known as the “sunk-cost fallacy.”
“Instead of quitting, gamblers continue because they’ve already invested too much,” Achuti explains. The fallacy keeps individuals entrapped, forcing them to gamble even as their debts pile up, pushing them deeper into despair.
The statistics surrounding Kenya’s gambling market are staggering and deeply alarming. Between 2021 and 2023, the number of registered betting firms in the country surged to 200. Radio stations, once thought to be a trusted voice in households, began actively promoting gambling as a harmless, family-friendly activity. Meanwhile, the advertisements for online betting platforms flooded social media, taking advantage of Kenya’s widespread internet access and affordable smartphones. The government’s attempts to curb the rise of gambling, through high taxation and regulation, have only seemed to stoke the fire, with Kenyans placing a record Ksh88.5 billion in online bets by June 2023 – equating to Ksh242 million daily, Ksh10 million hourly, and Ksh2,800 every second. Kenya now stands as the third-largest gambling market in Africa, trailing only South Africa and Nigeria.
For many, the allure of winning massive jackpots and the intoxicating stories of overnight fortunes is what fuels the addiction. However, the reality is far different. The truth is that the vast majority of gamblers experience not instant wealth, but a quiet, devastating spiral into financial and emotional collapse.
Nelson Bwire, co-founder of the Gaming Awareness Society of Kenya, is vocal about the crisis.
“The data we’ve shared with the presidential task force on mental health shows that gambling is directly contributing to an array of mental health issues,” Bwire says, shaking his head in disbelief. “Families are breaking apart. People are falling into debt. Suicide rates are rising. It’s a tragedy, but to see the amount of money being wagered in such a short time—Kenyans are throwing away their futures—is simply absurd.”
The most vulnerable in this crisis are Kenya’s youth, particularly those facing unemployment. Gambling, especially sports betting, has flourished since the mid-2010s, with betting firms like SportPesa and Betin investing millions in marketing campaigns that targeted this young, digitally-savvy population. The government, in desperate need of tax revenue, saw gambling as a necessary evil, but as the tide of addiction continues to rise, the toll on the country’s mental health is becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
Bwire is calling for urgent reforms. He believes that the government must shift its priorities away from betting as a revenue stream and focus instead on public health.
“Gambling companies have realized that, in our newfound isolation, they can take advantage of us,” he warns, pointing to the aggressive marketing strategies used to promote online casinos. “We need to change the conversation.”
In response, the government has set up a Rapid Response Team, taking a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the rising addiction. The Ministry of Health, alarmed by the growing number of gambling-related cases, has pledged support, creating a dedicated helpline for those struggling with addiction and offering counseling services at learning institutions.
Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni announced that public awareness campaigns would be launched to educate communities about the risks of online gambling, and the Ministry will support a study to assess the true extent of the problem.
But despite these efforts, the crisis is far from over. More and more young Kenyans continue to fall prey to the addictive nature of online betting, sinking deeper into financial distress and suffering deteriorating mental health. The Ministry of Health has even compared the psychological toll of these platforms to that of substance abuse.
Gambling addiction is not just a personal issue – it is a public health emergency. The ethical concerns around betting companies profiting off the vulnerability of Kenyans are becoming impossible to ignore. As the industry continues to grow, its digital presence becomes more invasive, and the need for swift, decisive action becomes more urgent.
Every day, the tragedy continues to unfold in households across Kenya. The stakes are high, and unless comprehensive, coordinated action is taken, the hidden cost of gambling addiction will continue to rise, claiming more lives and leaving an indelible scar on the nation.
