Polymarket in Kenya: is it legal and how to deposit? (2026)
Available
No Polymarket restriction and no known local block.
How to deposit from Kenya
The short route: get USDC with KES on Binance or Bybit (directly or by converting USDT, depending on what is offered locally) and send it over the Polygon network to your Polymarket deposit address, found under Deposit → crypto transfer. Polymarket charges nothing to deposit or withdraw; what you pay is the exchange fee and the currency conversion.
The full step-by-step, with the most common mistakes, is in how to deposit on Polymarket.
Ready to try Polymarket
- Free account in two minutes, no mandatory minimum deposit to sign up.
- Deposit USDC from your exchange and withdraw whenever you want, with no Polymarket fee.
- Start small: each contract costs between 0.01 and 0.99 USD.
18+ only. Referral link: it costs you nothing and helps keep MercadoDice running. Only trade money you can afford to lose.
Polymarket is not available in your country. You will only find information here, not sign-up links.
Kenya rewrote its gambling and crypto laws in 2025
Two statutes passed in 2025 decide who could regulate a prediction market in Kenya. The Gambling Control Act, 2025 came into force on 26 August 2025 and replaces the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) with a new Gambling Regulatory Authority. It creates separate online licences for bookmakers, lotteries and casinos, requires foreign operators to register in Kenya with a physical address, and makes unlicensed gambling operations an offence with fines of up to KES 50 million. The Act does not mention prediction markets, and neither regulator has said publicly whether Polymarket falls under it.
The Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025, signed by President Ruto on 15 October 2025, splits crypto oversight between the Central Bank of Kenya (wallets, payment processors, stablecoins) and the Capital Markets Authority (exchanges and brokers). In November 2025 both regulators said no provider had yet been licensed under the Act and that licensing would start once the National Treasury issues the implementing regulations.
What the shilling route costs in tax
The Finance Act 2025 abolished the 3% Digital Asset Tax that had applied to the value of crypto transfers since September 2023. It was replaced by a 10% excise duty on the fees that virtual asset service providers charge for transactions, so the levy now falls on the exchange fee rather than on the amount you move. How winnings themselves are taxed is a separate question for a Kenyan tax adviser.
Markets with a Kenyan angle
Kenya co-hosts the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Uganda and Tanzania, and Polymarket already lists markets on the tournament winner and on the qualifying groups. Kenya also appears in cricket fixtures from the ICC Challenge League. Current prices are on the markets board.
Frequently asked questions
Does Polymarket work in Kenya?
Yes. Kenya is not on Polymarket's restriction list and has no known local block at the time of this review.
Is Polymarket legal in Kenya?
Kenya’s Gambling Control Act, 2025 makes unlicensed gambling an offence, but it does not mention prediction markets, and neither regulator has said publicly whether Polymarket falls under it. Crypto platforms are covered separately by the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025.
How do I deposit from Kenya?
With KES on Binance or Bybit, then over the Polygon network. The local route is explained above.
Sources
Reviewed on October 25, 2026.