This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
SportPesa Denies Underage Clients, Blames Mpesa for Payment Issues ¶
On July 10, 2019, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) ordered SportPesa and other affected mobile phone operators to suspend their services. The move was in response to the government's decision to freeze the betting firm's Mpesa accounts.
According to SportPesa, the company has taken measures to prevent underage clients from participating in its lottery and betting services. The firm claims that 59.74% of its players are between the ages of 25 and 34, while 23.46% are between 35 and 44, and 4.9% are between 18 and 24.
However, the company has faced criticism for allegedly targeting young people, who are more likely to be involved in betting and lottery activities. SportPesa has denied these allegations, stating that it does not own any betting shops and that its services are only available through mobile phones.
"We play SportPesa through our mobile phones, so we announce that people above 18 years are not allowed to participate," the company said in a statement.
Despite the challenges it has faced, SportPesa has continued to operate and has even released its financial statements for 2018. According to the company, it made a profit of KSh 9 billion, paid KSh 6.4 billion in taxes, and had a turnover of KSh 20 billion.
Source: Tuko.co.ke, July 16, 2019
