John Mutua

John Mutua is the Chief Executive Officer at the Association of Gaming Operators Kenya (AGOK), a role in which he has been instrumental in shaping the country's gaming industry. He is recognized for his deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and market dynamics within the African iGaming sector. Mutua believes Kenya's emergence as a leading gaming market in Africa is significantly linked to the widespread adoption of mobile money, particularly M-Pesa, which revolutionized access and participation in betting.

Under Mutua's leadership, AGOK focuses on three core areas: providing a structured and credible voice for licensed, tax-compliant operators in governance discussions, maintaining a shared code of conduct and promoting responsible operation, and highlighting the industry's social contributions beyond taxation. He has led initiatives such as the Chukua Control Campaign, a nationwide responsible gambling awareness program that earned AGOK the Best Responsible Campaign Initiatives award at the Gaming Tech Summit Africa 2025. Mutua himself was honored as Male of the Year at the inaugural iGaming Afrika Awards 2026.

Prior to his leadership role at AGOK, Mutua accumulated over 16 years of experience in gaming operations and consultancy across East and West Africa. His extensive background includes work linked to Ngong Racecourse and Moja Group markets in various African jurisdictions such as the DRC, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana. He has also provided support for more than 10 license applications, market entries, and joint ventures across Anglophone and Francophone Africa, demonstrating expertise in areas like sportsbook, casino, horse racing, virtual sports, and mobile money integrations. His work has consistently focused on building a gaming industry that is both commercially viable and socially responsible.