Kuwait issues a new Media Regulation Law replacing its electronic media law: in force in six months

Kuwait issues a new Media Regulation Law replacing its electronic media law: in force in six months

4 October 2026: Kuwait has issued a new Media Regulation Law that replaces three existing laws, including the 2016 law regulating electronic media. Decree-Law No. 102 of 2026 was published in the Official Gazette, Kuwait Alyoum, in issue No. 1811, released just after midnight on Sunday 4 October 2026, according to Arab Times and Times Kuwait.

Not yet independently verified. Kuwait Times (citing KUNA) and a law firm's note of 9 October report the text of the decree-law; we have still not read the Official Gazette (Kuwait Alyoum, issue 1811) itself, and one law firm's publication date may differ from the Sunday 4 October date given here. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

What changes

According to the reports, the decree-law repeals Law No. 3 of 2006 on publications and publishing, Law No. 61 of 2007 on audiovisual media and Law No. 8 of 2016 regulating electronic media, together with any conflicting provisions. In their place it sets one framework covering newspapers and publications, audiovisual media, broadcasting, electronic media, social media advertisers and promoters, news agencies, correspondents of foreign media, production companies, cinemas, events and advertising.

The timeline

The reports describe three steps:

1. The competent minister must issue the executive regulations within six months of publication, so by early April 2027.
2. The law itself comes into force six months after publication, also around early April 2027.
3. Existing media activities then have six months from the issue of the executive regulations to bring their status into line. Those that do not will have their licence cancelled.

Who is affected

Publishers, broadcasters and digital media operating in Kuwait; agencies and platforms that run advertising campaigns there; and social media advertisers and promoters, including businesses that pay influencers to promote products to Kuwaiti audiences. Software vendors serving these businesses, such as content-management, ad-tech and influencer-marketing platforms, will see their customers' compliance needs change.

What to do

1. List the activities you carry out in Kuwait that fall under the new law, including electronic publishing and paid social promotion.
2. Check the licences you hold under the three repealed laws and note their dates.
3. Watch for the executive regulations, which will set the licensing requirements and obligations in detail.
4. Plan to complete any re-licensing within six months of those regulations.
5. Agencies and brands: check whether influencers you work with will need a licence, and build that into contracts.

Why it matters for buyers

Gulf states have been updating media and advertising rules to cover digital and social channels. A single law with a fixed clock gives businesses certainty about timing, but the substance sits in regulations still to come. Marketing teams with Kuwaiti campaigns should treat April 2027 as the planning horizon.

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• CMA opens abuse-of-dominance case over Meta's terms for publisher content

Sources

• Arab Times: Kuwait introduces new Media Regulation Law, repeals three existing media laws - 4 October 2026
• Times Kuwait: Kuwait issues new Media Regulation Law, repeals three existing laws - 4 October 2026
• Kuwait Times: New media regulation law ushers in unified framework for media sector - 4 October 2026
• Mondaq (ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners): Kuwait's new Media Regulation Law, what businesses need to know - 9 October 2026