This archive report was first published on 28 November 2019.
On November 27, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report in Nairobi, which has sparked debate on various recommendations, including the abolishment of sports betting.
According to the report, private betting is leading to hopelessness and greater poverty, with the government having increased taxes and imposed stiff rules on betting in recent times.
The closure of giant firms SportPesa and Betin has rendered hundreds of Kenyans jobless, affecting several sports entities, including Kenyan Premier League clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, Kenya Premier League, and Kenya Rugby Union (KRU).
The BBI team collected opinions from over 7,000 citizens, which were considered in compiling the 155-page report aimed at uniting and empowering Kenyans.
However, the report is silent on what should happen to the Sports Fund, which currently performs the same role as the proposed national lottery.
