Betlion's successor in Kenya - same accounts, new name, M-Pesa-first
Visit Bandabets →Bandabets welcome bonus in Kenya
Context for Kenya: Kenyan offers in our data have proved unusually volatile - reviewing four brands in a row turned up one site reported down, one whose existence we could not verify at all, one reported not reachable, and one with two conflicting licence numbers. Treat any Kenyan bonus here as needing a check before you act on it. Kenya is also mid-transition: the Gambling Control Act 2025 (in force 26 August 2025) replaces the Betting Control and Licensing Board with a new Gambling Regulatory Authority, and all gambling advertising must be pre-approved by that authority. Gambling taxes have also changed repeatedly - excise now applies to deposits and a return to 20% withholding is proposed for 2026 - so treat any Kenyan offer, and its tax treatment, as liable to change.
Here is the current Bandabets welcome offer for players in Kenya. Bonus terms change and are set by Bandabets for each market — always confirm the live offer on its own site. See every licensed betting site in Kenya →
Pros
- M-Pesa built in as the sole, frictionless payment method
- Very low KSh 50 minimum deposit
- Live betting with cash-out and a Stake Protector daily loss refund
- Seamless account migration for former Betlion Kenya customers
- Android app with a download bonus
Cons
- Operating company behind the brand not disclosed anywhere we found
- Licence claim (0001329) not independently verified against the GRA's own register
- No bet builder and only minimal jackpot offerings versus larger Kenyan rivals
- M-Pesa only - no card or bank alternative
- Young brand (2026 successor to Betlion in Kenya) with no independent long-term track record
- Specific wagering terms on the welcome bonus not clearly stated in sources reviewed
- Kenya only
Our verdict
Bandabets is not really a brand-new operator - it is Betlion's Kenyan operation under a new name. Betlion's own Kenya site announced the move directly, and player accounts were migrated across with old Betlion login details still working. That matters for how you should read this review: Betlion still operates independently in Uganda, Nigeria and Zambia (with a confirmed expired licence specifically in Uganda, covered in that separate review), but in Kenya, Bandabets is now the only face of that business. Bandabets is reported as holding a licence under number 0001329 as Kenya transitions its gambling regulator from the old BCLB to the new Gambling Regulatory Authority, though we could not check the GRA's own register directly to confirm it, and no source named the company actually operating the brand. The product is squarely built for Kenyan mobile bettors - M-Pesa is the only payment method, in and out, with a low KSh 50 minimum deposit, live betting, cash-out and a Stake Protector feature refunding part of a losing first bet each day. It is missing some features bigger Kenyan books offer, notably bet builder and a broader jackpot selection. Given the Betlion history and the young age of the Bandabets name itself, this is a believable but unproven pick - use the same caution you would with any recently rebranded operator, and keep an eye on how the Kenya-to-GRA licensing transition settles before trusting the licence claim fully.
How we rated it
Bonuses & value (15%)6.5
200% up to KSh 5,000 on a very low KSh 50 minimum deposit is accessible, plus a KSh 50 free starter bet and a KSh 50 app-download bonus. Reasonable value for the Kenyan market, though the specific wagering multiple was not clearly stated in the sources we reviewed.
Mobile & apps (10%)6.5
An Android app is available, with a KSh 50 bonus for downloading it. No mention of an iOS app in the sources we found.
Sportsbook & odds (25%)6
Live betting and cash-out are supported, along with a 1000% multibet win boost and a 'Stake Protector' feature refunding 10% if your first daily bet loses. An independent review notes the site lacks bet builder functionality and has minimal jackpot offerings - a real gap next to bigger Kenyan rivals like SportPesa or Betika.
Payments & payouts (20%)6
M-Pesa only, via Paybill 212917 - which is exactly what most Kenyan bettors want, but it is the only method, with no cards or bank transfer alternative if M-Pesa is unavailable to you.
Trust & licensing (20%)6
Reported as licensed under number 0001329 as Kenya's regulatory framework transitions from the BCLB to the new Gambling Regulatory Authority - we could not independently verify the entry on the GRA's own register. The operating company behind the brand is not disclosed anywhere we found, and this is a young brand (a 2026 successor to Betlion) with no long independent track record of its own yet.
Support (10%)5.5
One independent review rates support 4/5, but specific channels (live chat, phone, email) and hours were not detailed in the sources we could access - a gap in what we can confirm rather than a confirmed weakness.
Quick facts
| Relationship | Successor to Betlion's Kenyan operation - accounts migrated, same underlying business in Kenya |
| Operating company | Not disclosed in sources found |
| Licence | Reported licence number 0001329, amid Kenya's BCLB-to-GRA regulatory transition (not independently register-verified by us) |
| Market | Kenya only |
| Payments | M-Pesa only (Paybill 212917) |
| Welcome offer | 200% up to KSh 5,000, minimum deposit KSh 50 + KSh 50 free starter bet |
How we verified this
The Betlion-to-Bandabets transition is confirmed by betlion.ke's own announcement and corroborated independently by a Kenyan news site describing the account migration. The GRA licence number (0001329) comes from an independent Kenyan betting-review site; we could not load the GRA's own register directly to confirm the entry, so this is reported as well-corroborated rather than register-verified by us. The regulatory transition itself (BCLB to GRA) is confirmed via a Kenyan law firm's own publication.
Where Bandabets is licensed
Bandabets appears on the official register in 1 countries. Highlighted countries have a full local review — pick yours for its welcome bonus and licence details.
Africa (1)
About Bandabets
Bandabets is a Kenyan sportsbook that took over Betlion's Kenyan operation, with betlion.ke itself announcing the move and existing player accounts migrated across using their old Betlion login details. Betlion continues to operate independently in Uganda, Nigeria and Zambia - Kenya is the only market where it has been fully replaced by this new brand. Bandabets is reported to hold a licence under number 0001329 as Kenya moves its gambling regulation from the long-standing Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) to the newly created Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), established under the Gambling Control Act 2025 and formally taking over in February 2026. No source we found named the company actually operating the Bandabets brand.
Bandabets FAQ
Is Bandabets the same as Betlion?
In Kenya, yes in practice. Betlion's own Kenya site announced the move to Bandabets, and existing player accounts were migrated across with old Betlion login credentials still working (a password reset was required on first login). Betlion continues to operate independently in Uganda, Nigeria and Zambia - Kenya is the market where it has been fully replaced.
Is Bandabets licensed in Kenya?
It is reported to hold licence number 0001329. We could not verify this directly against the regulator's own register, and note that Kenya's gambling regulator itself changed in February 2026, transitioning from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) to the new Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) under the Gambling Control Act 2025 - so treat the licence claim as plausible but not independently confirmed by us.
What is the Bandabets welcome bonus?
A 200% match on your deposit up to KSh 5,000, with a minimum deposit of just KSh 50, plus a KSh 50 free starter bet and a KSh 50 bonus for downloading the app. The exact wagering requirement was not clearly stated in the sources we reviewed - check the live terms before depositing.
How do I pay at Bandabets?
M-Pesa only, both for deposits and withdrawals, through Paybill number 212917. There is no card or bank transfer alternative in the sources we found.
Can I use Bandabets outside Kenya?
No. It is a Kenya-focused sportsbook built around M-Pesa and the Kenyan market.