This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's Finance Bill 2020, signed on June 30, 2020, has scrapped the 20% excise duty on betting, a move that could see betting firms like Sportpesa return to the Kenyan market.
As reported by Kenyan Digest, several betting companies, including Sportpesa, exited the market in 2019 due to the hefty tax imposed by the government.
Uhuru Kenyatta had been keen on fighting gambling addiction in 2019, but the removal of the tax could mean a subtle invite for betting companies to return to the country.
One of the biggest casualties of the excise duty directive was Sportpesa, which opted to walk away from the Kenyan market in September 2019, citing a 'hostile taxation and operating environment'.
However, things are looking up for lovers of betting as the removal of tax could mean a lifeline for betting firms. Kenyans are particularly keeping a keen eye on Sportpesa and when they would be making a return to the Kenyan market, where they enjoyed the biggest market among their rivals.
Responding to rumors of a return, Sportpesa tweeted,
"We do not have the exact timeline on when we shall resume. We shall communicate officially upon resumption,"
a tweet from Sportpesa's official page stated in response to a fan.
