BCLB allows eight betting sites to operate after earlier ban
The sites were part of the more than 50 betting platforms previously shut down by BCLB.
Kenya.- Once identified as operating outside the law, eight betting sites have received approval from Kenya’s Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) to continue working.
On Thursday, April 30, the BCLB published a list of over 50 betting sites that were blocked for operating without licences in the jurisdiction.
However, eight betting websites have regained permission to resume operations. They include Probet Masters (Game Mapro), Sparksmatrix Limited (Maybets), Grantel Limited (Q Bet), Clarity Limited (Fanika Bet), Metaweb Station Limited (Metabet), Keystone Adventure Limited (Jet X), Socialcom Limited (Pesa Pawa) and Betwins Limited (Pesa Crash).
In a letter to the Communications Authority of Kenya’s Director-General, David Mugonyi, BCLB CEO Peter Mbugi explained that the shutdown of the listed betting firms was a mistake.
Mbugi said: “Kindly note that the following eight companies appeared in the said list as unauthorised. We have since established that the anomaly was due to the use of a different company/trade name from the one known to the board. The same has been corrected, and therefore, we request you to reinstate them.”
Crackdown on unlicensed gambling and betting addiction
The initial shutdown order was a strategic move by BCLB to crack down on unauthorised betting operations.
The offshore gambling platforms were accused of tax evasion, while some were criticised for allegedly luring young Kenyans into gambling. The BCLB reports that a growing number of Kenyans are chasing quick riches through betting, with losses sometimes leading to suicidal tendencies.
After blocking the sites, the regulator directed Safaricom to deactivate the numbers linked to the betting firms to prevent customers from depositing money into their betting accounts or placing wagers.
Other recent moves the Kenyan government has taken to address problem gambling include a ban on gambling ads for 30 days, and the establishment of a multi-agency team to develop and implement strategies for responsible gambling.
