MPs to vote on betting tax in Kenya

The lawmakers will repeat the vote that would force betting operators to pay a 50 percent tax of gross profits in Kenya.

Kenya.- Tuesday will see another vote by MPs that will decide whether the increase from 7.5 percent to 50 percent on betting taxes is legal or not. The parliament voted on Thursday and decided to reject the proposal.

Aden Duale, National Assembly Leader of Majority, brought to life provisions of Standing Orders to reconsider four sections of the Finance bill in question that aimed at increasing the taxes to a second vote, as reported by The Daily Nation. The MPs voted last week in favor to keep the 7.5 percent rate for betting operators, whilst the 50 percent would still be applied to gaming, lottery and other revenues. Henry Rotich, Treasury Secretary, declared that the hikes were also meant to discourage gamblers from having problems.

The complaints from other MPs encouraged Duale to call for a second vote on the issue. Clauses 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the Finance Bill will be discussed this week to see if gaming, lotteries, and prize competitions still have to suffer an increase to 50 percent of total revenue.