RSM Eastern Africa and QLOT Consulting will guide the procurement process, bringing together local transaction expertise and international lottery experience
Kenya has taken another significant step towards establishing its first National Lottery following the appointment of a consortium led by RSM Eastern Africa and Sweden-based QLOT Consulting as Transaction Advisors.
The appointment by the National Lottery Board (NLB) is expected to provide specialist support throughout the procurement process, from structuring the transaction and developing the concession framework to evaluating potential operators and preparing the eventual winner for launch.
The development represents an important milestone in Kenya’s plans to establish a national lottery designed not only as a gaming product but also as a mechanism for generating funding for public-benefit initiatives.
International and Local Expertise Combined
The consortium brings together expertise from two different areas.
RSM Eastern Africa will contribute experience in transaction advisory, governance and institutional strengthening, as well as knowledge of Kenya’s public-sector, legal and fiscal environment.
Meanwhile, QLOT Consulting, a Swedish lottery consultancy and Associate Member of the World Lottery Association, will contribute international experience in lottery procurement and industry practices.
The combination is intended to give the National Lottery Board access to both local market knowledge and international lottery-sector expertise as it develops the procurement framework.
Appointment Followed Competitive Tender
National Lottery Board Chairperson Dr Farida Karoney announced the appointment during a media briefing in Nairobi on August 20.
According to the Board, the consortium emerged as the highest-ranked and most responsive bidder following an open international tender conducted under Kenya’s Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.
The procurement was evaluated using the Quality and Cost Based Selection methodology, meaning both technical quality and financial considerations were assessed, with significant importance placed on the quality of the proposed services.
The process is intended to provide a transparent foundation for the eventual selection of Kenya’s National Lottery Operator.
Broad Advisory Mandate
The Transaction Advisors will have a wide-ranging mandate.
Their responsibilities will include transaction and concession structuring, legal advisory, financial modelling, technical requirements, cybersecurity standards, market engagement, bid evaluation, contracting and financial close.
The advisers will also support the Board through the operator onboarding process and preparations required before the National Lottery becomes operational.
This broad role reflects the complexity of establishing a national lottery, where regulatory requirements, technology, commercial structures, consumer protection and financial management all need to work together.
Focus on Knowledge Transfer
Beyond providing external expertise, the National Lottery Board has placed considerable emphasis on capacity building and knowledge transfer.
The Board intends to ensure that the expertise gained during the advisory assignment remains within Kenya after the consultants complete their work.
A structured knowledge-transfer programme will therefore form part of the assignment. This is intended to strengthen the Board’s internal capabilities and prepare its personnel to manage the National Lottery effectively over the longer term.
For the Board, the objective is not simply to obtain professional advice but to build lasting institutional capacity.
National Lottery Expected to Support Good Causes
The planned National Lottery is being positioned as an instrument for supporting communities across Kenya.
Under the country’s legal framework, money generated by the lottery after prizes and operating expenses are deducted will be directed to the National Lottery Fund.
The Fund is intended to support a broad range of public-benefit areas, including charitable and humanitarian programmes, economic empowerment, sports, arts and culture, national heritage, health and education, emergency response and transformative national projects.
This means the National Lottery is expected to have a purpose extending beyond the operation of lottery games, with proceeds intended to contribute to social and economic development.
Emphasis on Transparency and Accountability
The National Lottery Board has also indicated that strong governance will be central to the management of lottery proceeds.
Plans include rules-based allocation of funds, independent auditing and public reporting. The framework is also expected to promote geographical fairness so that communities across the country can benefit from National Lottery funding.
Such measures could be important for building public confidence in the lottery and ensuring that proceeds are managed according to clearly defined rules.
Responsible Gambling to Be Built Into the Lottery
Consumer protection is another key consideration in the development of Kenya’s National Lottery.
The Board has indicated that responsible gaming measures will be incorporated into the design of the lottery from the beginning rather than added later.
Proposed safeguards include age verification, play and spending limits, self-exclusion mechanisms, responsible advertising, transparent disclosure of odds and prizes, as well as public education and research concerning gambling-related harm.
These measures are intended to ensure that the National Lottery operates within a framework that prioritises consumer protection alongside commercial sustainability.
Kenya Enters the Next Phase
With RSM Eastern Africa and QLOT Consulting now appointed, the National Lottery Board can move into the next phase of the procurement process.
The advisers will help structure a competitive process aimed at attracting a credible operator capable of meeting Kenya’s technical, financial, regulatory and responsible-gaming requirements.
For Kenya, the appointment marks a significant step towards turning the long-planned National Lottery into an operational reality.
If successfully implemented, the lottery could create a new source of funding for public-benefit programmes while establishing a nationally regulated gaming product built around transparency, accountability and responsible participation.
The immediate priority will now be to complete the procurement and select an operator capable of delivering the Board’s vision for a trusted National Lottery that generates sustainable benefits for communities across Kenya.
