File image of KRA Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has reported a sharp growth in its betting tax performance during the financial year 2024/2025.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 5, KRA announced a 117.2% performance in excise duty collection from betting services during the 2024/2025 Financial Year, surpassing the set target of Ksh 11.288 billion.
Excise duty from betting services grew to Ksh13.233 billion, up from Ksh10.598 billion collected in the previous year.
“The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has recorded an outstanding performance of 117.2 per cent in Excise duty on betting services during the Financial Year (FY) 2024/2025, surpassing the set target of Ksh11.288 billion,” KRA said.
During the period under review, Betting Tax surpassed the set target after collecting Ksh5.70 billion against a target of Ksh5.495 billion. This translates to a performance rate of 103.7% and a growth of 22.0%.
KRA attributed the performance to KRA’s Taxation at Source initiatives, specifically, the integration of betting firms’ systems to KRA’s systems, enabling real-time monitoring of transactions.
“The growth in revenue comes at a time when the nation continues to face economic pressure. According to the 2025 Economic Survey, Kenya’s economy grew by 4.7% in 2024, down from 5.7% in 2023, reflecting broader global slowdowns and local pressures on consumption and credit,” KRA stated.
The taxman noted that the rise in revenue comes despite ongoing economic challenges. The authority in July announced it collected Ksh2.571 trillion in taxes from Kenyans in the 2024/2025 financial year.
“Despite the pressures, KRA’s total revenue collection for the FY 2024/2025 stood at Kshs. 2.571 trillion, reflecting a 6.8% growth, demonstrating resilience and the importance of strategic targeting in mobilizing revenue from emerging sectors,” KRA stated.
