The Oldest Betting Sites for Kenyans Still Operating Today

The Best Old Bookmakers in Kenya by Date of Foundation

Due to the changes that have occurred in the Kenyan online gambling landscape over the past several years, several bookmakers have left the market, leaving behind the ones that have been able to endure these transformations. Some of the oldest bookies that have operated in the nation for a long time include the following.

Betlion

Betlion has been operating in Kenya since 2016 after acquiring operating licenses from the Betting Control and Licensing Board. The betting firm has grown over the years to the point of sponsoring sports at the grassroots level, including the Wadau Premier League and the Five Star Tournament in football. You can visit their offices in the community area of Nairobi city if you need to make enquiries physically.

1xBet

1xBet was launched in Kenya in 2016. And even though it operates under a Curaçao license, it’s duly recognised by the Betting Control and Licensing Board of Kenya. Besides offering gambling services, 1xBet supports youth sports development in the country, and it’s the main sponsor of Mathare United football club.

Sportpesa

Sportpesa is one of the pioneer bookmakers in Kenya, and it was founded in 2014. The gambling firm operates under a license issued by the Betting Control and Licensing Board of Kenya, and it has physical offices in Nairobi.

Sportpesa not only focuses on betting, but it also sponsors different football clubs, including Gor Mahia, Shabana FC, and Murang’a Seal, and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF). In 2025, Sportpesa was crowned as the best betting site in Kenya at the Excellent Brands Awards.

The Oldest Betting Sites in the World

Several global betting sites offer their services to Kenyan bettors. They have made it through harsh competition with local brands and maintained their high ranking over time. The oldest of them to make it to our ranking include:

Melbet

Melbet was established in 2012, and it operates in various jurisdictions under a Curaçao license, with its headquarters located in Cyprus. The brand is the official regional partner of the Juventus football club in the Middle East and Africa. Melbet has continuously offered excellent services, thereby being recognised as the best gambling operator in 2025 at the AffPapa iGaming Awards.

Mostbet

Headquartered in Cyprus, Mostbet is duly licensed and regulated by the gaming authority of Curaçao. Since its launch in 2009, the betting firm has not only focused on offering gambling services, but it has also contributed immensely to developing sports as a whole by sponsoring such events as the Rugby Football League (RFL) in England. 

1xBet

This global betting operator runs under a license issued by the Curaçao Gaming Control Board. While its headquarters are in Cyprus, it operates through franchises in 134 countries across the world.

1xBet sponsors major football clubs and federations, including FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and the Confederation of African Football (CAF. The betting operator has also won numerous awards in the past, like Mobile Sports Product of the Year at the International Gaming Awards (IGA) 2025 and the Best Sportsbook Operator at SiGMA Europe Awards 2023 and SiGMA Americas Awards 2024.

Old Bookmaker Platforms That Went Through Rebranding

Due to the competitive nature of the Kenyan betting industry, some old bookies have undergone redesigning or rebranding to remain visible and easy to remember. That way, bettors often think they are new entrants to the market. The most notable brands in this category are described in detail below.

1Win

1Win was originally launched as FirstBet in 2016, but its name was changed in March 2018. But this was more than a change of name – it was aimed at enhancing user experience as well as expanding the brand’s footprint at the global level. 1Win has also modified its logo a couple of times in a bid to improve brand awareness among bettors.

Paripesa

Since its foundation in 2019, Paripesa has undergone tremendous transformation over the years. It has continually upgraded its website and mobile app to adapt to new technologies and improve the overall user experience. For instance, the gaming organiser upgraded its platform to the “Purpose 3.0” version in 2023 to offer users a seamless experience.

Melbet

Since its launch in 2012, Melbet has endeavoured to provide bettors with the best user experience. It’s for this reason that the betting operator continuously updates its user interface. It has also designed a feature-rich, user-friendly, and lightweight mobile app for Android and iOS mobile devices. What’s more, it has changed its brand colour in the past to become brighter and more noticeable.

Old Bookmakers' Reputation and Reviews

Old bookies are very serious when it comes to their reputation because a good reputation is what has kept them in the market for so many years. If you want to know about the standing of a certain bookmaker, you can find information about them on various sources, encompassing:

• Users’ feedback. Users are able to give their opinions about bookmakers on different social media platforms, blog posts, App Store, and Play Store. In most instances, bettors give honest feedback concerning a bookie, albeit some unscrupulous betting sites can offer positive reviews about themselves.
• Reviews by experts. You can read reviews about bookies written by gambling experts on the internet. These reviews are very informative, and they can help you make the best decision. But you need to be very careful because some online assessments of bookmakers can be sponsored to paint a positive picture.

It’s important to note that old bookies care a lot about their reputation, and thus, you shouldn’t trust everything you read about them as the gospel truth.  

Modern Features of Time-Proven Bookmakers

Old bookmakers strive to keep up with the pace of the fast-changing gambling environment. As such, they always incorporate emerging features into their platforms in order to remain relevant. Some of the modern features comprise:

Mobile optimisation and app development

Old bookmakers are fully aware that the modern bettor uses mobile devices, and thus, they make their sites accessible through mobile browsers and further develop downloadable mobile apps, as most punters like using betting apps.

In-play betting and live streaming of games

Today, live betting is very popular among Kenyan bettors, and hence, they look for betting sites with live betting. They also like following sports events in real time by watching them live.  So, old bookies are adding these vital features to their platforms.

Modern payment methods

Due to the ever-changing payment infrastructure, the old bookies are now offering modern ways of making payments, like crypto wallets and e-wallets. This now allows players to use cryptocurrency and global payment methods.

Latest software and safety measures

Established bookmakers are adopting the new software and security measures to improve the navigability and loading speed of betting sites and add extra layers of security to bettors’ accounts.

Retention strategies

The time-tested bookies have been employing strategies to retain their existing customers by offering them cashback bonuses. They also partner with celebs and sponsor sports teams and organisations to show their commitment to the development of different sports.

Old bookies don’t have a choice other than to embrace technological advancements being experienced today. 

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