This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
Published on August 6, 2019, the government's move to suspend paybill numbers of 27 betting firms has sparked a legal battle. The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) ordered telecommunication companies to shut down the paybill numbers and shortcodes until the licenses are renewed.
However, SportPesa, Betin, and lxBet have denied any wrongdoing and maintained that they have met their regulatory requirements. The firms argue that the payment disruption by the state was illegal and could lead to the loss of thousands of jobs if licenses are not renewed.
Through their lawyers, the firms urged Justice John Mativo to lift the orders by the BCLB that cancelled their betting licenses. SportPesa's lawyer, Paul Muite, stated that the board acted in bad faith by asking the regulator to withhold its license over a tax dispute.
Meanwhile, the government has renewed the licenses for ten betting firms, including Betway and BetLion. BetLion has also begun deducting 20 per cent from punters' winnings, as per a directive by the industry regulator and the Kenya Revenue Authority.
