BETTING KENYA Kenya – President Uhuru Kenyatta calls for gambling ban 3 years ago Samuel Post Views: 579 Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has called upon the country’s lawmakers to pass a total ban on gambling in the country, also warning that he expected bookmakers to pay in full any taxes considered to be owed to the authorities. Speaking at the 60th anniversary of the Christ is the Answer Ministries (CITAM) Church in Karen, Nairobi, Kenyatta urged lawmakers to pass a constitutional amendment to ban gambling in the country. “We have this thing called gambling and it’s so bad, I alone can’t finish it – go change the constitution,” – said President Kenyatta, according to local media reports. Kenyatta also encouraged MPs to “introduce and ensure that tougher laws are passed in Parliament”. The Kenyan authorities have been embroiled in a long dispute with operators, with much of the disagreement coming over enforcement of a 20% tax on gambling winnings. The Kenyan regulator claims that this tax is levied on both the payout and the player’s original stake, while operators have argued that the tax is only on the payout. The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) claimed it is owed a total of KES60.56bn (£483.7m/$586.4m/€528.1m) in unpaid taxes by 27 companies. Kenyatta invoked the Bible to argue that operators must pay the full amount the authorities claim is owed and again calling for legislators to support him. “So long as they are operating within Kenya, and are guided by the laws of the land, they should give Caesar what belongs to Caesar. [MPs] should help me do it.” Earlier this month, Kenya’s largest gambling operator, SportPesa, called the authorities’ interpretation of the regulations, “the result of a deliberate politicisation of tax figures, supporting the Kenyan government’s own political agenda.” As a result of the tax dispute, SportPesa has had its application to renew its operating licence rejected. Following a call from the Kenyan authorities, mobile payment provider M-Pesa has also stopped processing transactions to gambling operators, preventing customers from making deposits. This has led to SportPesa cancelling all of its sports sponsorships in Kenya including that of the Kenyan Premier League. However, in his speech, Kenyatta was critical of these sponsorship deals, claiming that only a few people benefit. “There is no reason for a few individuals to benefit from gaming companies who are claiming to sponsor athletes and sportsmen, why should it go to the pockets of five people?” – Kenyata says. SportPesa has taken legal action against the Kenyan government, claiming it received a High Court order that made the government’s decision to block payment services illegal. A decision is expected on 19 September. Source: igamingbusiness.com About Post Author Samuel I am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos. See author's posts SamuelI am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Tags: ban, ban sports betting, Kenya, Kenyatta Continue Reading Previous Online gambling on European footballNext Kenya – How to bet on SportPesa while it’s banned More Stories BETTING GHANA GFA unveils new logo for betPawa Premier League 15 hours ago Iwo Bulski BETTING WORLD NEWS Elon Musk Eyes Manchester United Purchase 2 days ago Iwo Bulski BETTING GHANA betPawa sets up Responsible Gaming Call Center for Gaming Commission 3 days ago Szarlot KENYA ONLINE African Countries With Gaming Industry 3 days ago Szarlot BETTING ZAMBIA Fully Zambian-owned Betting company “Betta1” officially launched 4 days ago Szarlot BETTING NIGERIA Waxibet Out To Change Sports Betting Narratives In Nigeria 4 days ago Samuel BETTING KENYA Taxman clears 105 betting companies to get permits 5 days ago Szarlot BETTING UGANDA Mobile Betting in Uganda – Why Is It So Popular? 5 days ago Samuel BETTING KENYA Gambling operators ignore orders to close during the election 1 week ago Iwo Bulski BETTING GHANA Ghana: Gaming Commission Must Regulate Industry 1 week ago Szarlot BETTING KENYA Kenyans spend over KSh 300b on bets, cigarettes and liquor yearly 1 week ago Szarlot BETTING NIGERIA All About Cricket Betting 1 week ago Iwo Bulski Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.