This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
Kenyan football is on the brink of losing a significant amount of sponsorship money, estimated to be around Sh600 million, due to the ongoing crackdown on betting firms in the country.
The Federation of Kenyan Football (FKF) president, Nick Mwendwa, has pleaded with the government to consider the impact of this crackdown on the growth of the game.
Speaking at a press conference on July 22, 2019, Mwendwa stated, "We are on the verge of losing 6 million dollars in football sponsorship because of the ongoing betting saga. I request that the government considers this in its action against betting in the country. I understand that there are other factors that the government is looking at but football in the country will suffer a great deal."
According to Mwendwa, roughly 70% of all investments in football globally are done by betting firms, and the case is no different in Kenya. The country's top-tier league, the Kenya Premier League (KPL), is sponsored by a betting company, and top KPL clubs, including Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, also receive sponsorship from betting companies.
Kenyan football has benefited significantly from the sponsorship provided by local betting firms, which has played a crucial role in its development over the recent years. Opportunities for the development of Kenyan football have been made available through these sports betting firms, including games between Kenyan clubs and English clubs, as well as training camps done by these English clubs.
