SportPesa, regulator fight hits the jackpot

Sportpesa CEO Ronald Karauri. FILE PHOTO | NMG

By PETER MBURU
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By PAUL WAFULA
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Summary

• The licensing battle between betting giant SportPesa and the betting industry regulator has shifted to the jackpot.
• This is after the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) remained on the case of the firm after it disclosed that the company had not been licensed to offer jackpot services in Kenya.
• This is despite the fact that SportPesa has been running its Jackpot and Mega Jackpot gaming services, where interested members of the public have been participating.

The licensing battle between betting giant SportPesa and the betting industry regulator has shifted to the jackpot.

This is after the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) remained on the case of the firm after it disclosed that the company had not been licensed to offer jackpot services in Kenya.

This is despite the fact that SportPesa has been running its Jackpot and Mega Jackpot gaming services, where interested members of the public have been participating.

By Monday, the company on its website continued to advertise Sh11,517,993 as being up for grabs in its Jackpot for this week, while in the Mega Jackpot section the amount was Sh102,487,245.

Through a statement to the public published in local dailies, BCLB urged Kenyans not to be duped to participate in jackpots offered by unlicensed operators in the betting and gaming industry, as it listed companies that have been authorised to offer the services, leaving out SportPesa.

The regulator stated that only nine companies have been authorised to run jackpots. The companies listed are Infinite worldwide, Croissance Ltd, Supabet Ltd, White Rhino, Albertyne Ltd, Zumandu Ltd, Kareco Holdings Ltd, Bet Mbao Ltd and Shop and Deliver.

"To run a jackpot an operator must seek authorisation from the board, provide proof of a fixed cash deposit equivalent to the jackpot being offered- this is to act as a security of the jackpot, and provide a schedule of draws to ensure officials from the Betting Control and Licensing authenticate both the drawing process and the winners," BCLB stated in the statement.

The communication means SportPesa had not gone through the processes and was therefore running unsecured jackpot and mega jackpot services.

The regulator has in the recent past cracked down on the sector and has been sealing several loopholes that firms used.