Cherargei Raises Alarm Over Aviator, Reveals What He Has Witnessed Among Players

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has raised concerns about online betting games, particularly Aviator, calling for stricter regulation of gambling in Kenya.

Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, November 3, Cherargei said gambling had become common among Kenyans, including some elected leaders.

He urged Parliament to examine the existing laws and consider ways of protecting people from losing money through betting.

The senator revealed that some of his colleagues in Parliament and the Senate participated in gambling, although he declined to name them.

Cherargei said he did not gamble but had witnessed the effects of the activity among people around him.

He singled out Aviator, an online betting game, describing what happens when players lose money.

“There is something called Aviator. Where you sit with somebody, before you know, somebody is crying,” he said.

He explained that the distress was noticeable when players lost their money after participating in the game.

“There is a cry that when you hear, you know these Aviators have taken all the money, Mr Speaker,” Cherargei added.

The Nandi senator also cited a figure of 64 per cent of Kenyans involved in gambling, particularly sports betting.

He mentioned the planned football match between Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam, which is expected to attract betting activity.

The match is scheduled for January 5, 2027, following President William Ruto’s announcement during the opening of Talanta Sports City.

Cherargei said such major football fixtures made it important for Parliament to examine how betting activities were regulated.

He also mentioned Manchester United’s poor run and Arsenal’s performances while discussing football betting among fans.

However, he clarified that he was not against gambling but wanted the activity to be conducted under proper regulations.

His remarks come as the government moves to tighten control of the gambling industry through the newly established Gambling Regulatory Authority.

In June, a proposed framework introduced fresh licensing requirements for gambling operators, including separate licences for different betting activities.

The proposals also singled out Aviator for closer regulation over concerns about artificial intelligence and its potential to encourage compulsive gambling.

They further included plans for a central monitoring system to identify gambling addiction and support interventions such as account suspensions and counselling referrals.

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