17 foreigners who are directors of gambling companies in Kenya, will be deported from the country.
This is coming after the Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, signed the deportation orders for the officials, as a result of allegations of engagement in activities not stated in their issued work permits.
Spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry; Wangui Muchiri stated that most of the directors are from the Eastern part of Europe, saying that, “Most East Europeans violated work permits by engaging in business not stated on applications.”
Wangui Muchiri added that, “The deportation orders are immediate.”
The Kenyan government has in recent times, intensified its crackdown on betting companies that have flouted the Betting Control and Licensing Board’s (BCLB) regulations.
So far, the government has, revoked the licenses of more than 20 gambling firms, over allegations of failing to meet their tax obligations.
The affected companies, include Asian Betting and Gaming Ltd, Betin, SportPesa, Mozzarbet Kenya Ltd, Lucky 2 U, and Kick Off Sports Bar Ltd.
Others are Advanced Innovation Ltd, Atari Gaming Ltd, Millionnaire Sports Bet Ltd, Premier Betting Ltd, and Sekunde Technologies.
President Uhuru Kenyatta while speaking on Saturday, vowed that his administration would not go back on its decision to streamline the gambling industry.
The Betting Control and Licensing Board’s (BCLB), stated that the betting firms made a cumulative amount of 204 billion Kenyan Shillings in 2018, but only paid 4 billion Kenyan Shillings in taxes.
Some of the companies however, including SportPesa and Betin, have refuted these claims, claiming that they remitted taxes as required, with SportPesa stating that it made 20 billion Kenyan Shillings last year (2018) and paid 6 billion Kenyan Shillings in taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
