BCLB Chair Rev. Mwikali Under Fire for Allegedly Shielding Aviator Gambling Despite Rising Death Toll

Kenya’s Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) is facing a major internal revolt after serious allegations emerged against its Chairperson, Rev. Dr. Jane Mwikali Makau.

Sources within the Board claim that Rev. Mwikali blocked an urgent move by CEO Peter Mbugi to crack down on crash gambling games like Aviator, whose rapid-fire betting model has devastated countless Kenyan families.

Mbugi had reportedly drawn up a tough enforcement plan to suspend Aviator and similar crash games, alarmed by a sharp rise in addiction-related suicides and financial ruin among young Kenyans.

However, just as the crackdown was about to launch, Rev. Mwikali allegedly intervened, weakening the response.

Instead of suspending the games, she instructed operators merely to resubmit compliance documents — a gesture insiders view as cosmetic and ineffective.

Further compounding the controversy are claims that games like Aviator were never properly vetted before being licensed.

Their underlying algorithms, which dictate player wins and losses, remain largely unexamined, raising fears of manipulation, fraud, and unchecked exploitation.

The consequences are becoming tragically clear. Reports of suicides tied to Aviator losses have surged, fueling nationwide outrage.

Meanwhile, operators continue to profit massively, bolstered by a regulatory system that critics say is riddled with conflicts of interest.

Blame is now spilling into political circles, with some officials accusing the former Uhuru Kenyatta administration of recklessly opening the door to crash gambling without sufficient oversight.

Adding to the scandal are accusations that Rev. Mwikali held secret meetings with major betting figures, including media mogul SK Macharia, who allegedly offered bribes to block serious reforms.

These explosive allegations have left the BCLB deeply fractured, crippled by internal distrust, and increasingly seen as beholden to the gambling industry it was meant to police.

A March 25 memo issued after Mwikali’s interference reflected this new, softer stance — calling only for procedural resubmissions rather than the decisive shutdown that had been planned.

Critics say this was a deliberate tactic to stall any real change, protect gambling operators, and suffocate public demands for action.

Amid growing fury, calls are intensifying to dissolve the BCLB entirely, prosecute those accused of undermining reform efforts, and immediately outlaw Aviator and other crash games before more lives are lost.