Author: Daniel
Kenya is one of the leading countries in Sun-Saharan Africa, with an increasing gaming and betting market share but a high tax rate. In addition to the already choking taxes for betting companies, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has proposed adding two new taxes to the rapidly expanding industry. The board believes that the new taxes will aid in the fight against gambling addiction among youth in Kenya. According to them, the taxes will help create more awareness of gambling addiction and set up more rehabilitation centers. Currently, the income tax paid for betting is set at 15%.…
Betway, a leading online betting and gaming operator, has signed a contract with the renowned English Premier League Arsenal Men’s football team as the club’s official betting partner. The new deal will add to Betway’s already remarkable portfolio of partnerships, which currently includes strategic collaborations with two other premier league teams, West Ham and Brighton, and certain Bundesliga and La Liga teams. Betway’s aim as they continue to extend their wings via partnership is to bring fans a more improved experience by providing them with prompt and exclusive content, which will be available across all their social media pages. Arsenal…
Recently a 10% tax on all gaming wins was implemented, and opposition was raised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). But their opposition has been rebuked by NYA’S CEO, Pius Enam Hadzide. In response to the imposed 10% withholding tax, the NDC youth wing warned in a press release that a series of protests would ensue if the government does not reconsider the tax. “The young people of Ghana and the NDC Youth are taking resolute action to combat the burdensome and insensitive policy imposed by ten (10%) percent on bet wins. We remain united and determined to protect the…
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has begun deducting a 10% withholding tax on all gross gains from all games of chance, including gaming, betting, and lottery. Edward Gyambrah, the commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD), made public the specified amount to be deducted at a media event in Accra. In his speech, he stated that the tax deduction applies to the winnings of private lotteries, casinos, sportsbooks, betting routes, marketing promotions, remote game operators, and other games of chance. The GRA is looking forward to generating about GH1.2 billion in income from lottery operations at the end of…
Kenya’s Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has instructed licensed betting companies to stop displaying gambling ads on the Opera Browser “speed dial” without permission from relevant authorities. The BCLB directive was prompted by a petition filed by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) against the board, requesting that it take appropriate action over the continuous showing of betting advertisements that breached BCLB rules for the protection of children. Cofek stated that millions of children with access to smartphones without parental guidance are at risk due to continuous betting advertisements. The group further explained that the Opera mini browser had…
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) takes on SportyBet over a Ksh 5 billion tax bill in its fight against incorrect tax contributions by betting operators. SportyBet has operated in Kenya for about eight years, offering players betting services at its best. The famous firm has taken legal steps against the Kenya revenue authority, pointing out that the taxman is impeding its operations by freezing six of its bank accounts and Safaricom pay bill numbers over claims of unpaid Ksh5billion in tax. Sportybet Ltd, in its pending case before the high court, told Justice Alfred Mabeya that a preservation order the…
The eighth annual edition of the consistently impactful Sports Betting West Africa+ (SBWA+) will hold at the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino Lagos, Nigeria, from the 23rd to 25th of August 2023. SBWA+ is a renowned gaming summit where core matters that, in one way or the other, relate to African operators and the West African gaming community are discussed. The West African market is a force among all igaming regional markets because its grounds are a gold mine of opportunities for operators willing to invest. From the 1st annual edition to the 7th, every SBWA+ event has been enlightening…
Heartbreaking news for gamblers in Kenya as the Court of Appeal deferred a decision that rescinded the imposed 7.5% excise duty on money defined for gambling. The Court of Appeal judges Abida Ali Aroni, Daniel Musinga, and John Mativo approved an opposition filed by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) asking for the suspension of Justice Anthony Mrima’s decision issued in February. Upon considering a case filed against the KRA excise duty by operators and concerned firms, Justice Mriman decided that the public could not express their thoughts on gaming and lottery-related issues. He then declared that some sections’ excise duty on…
Nigerian esports team gets an invite from the Saudi Arabia champions to compete in the renowned Afro-Arab eSports league tournament. This is a remarkable feat for Nigerian esports as it is the first of its kind. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), the president of the Nigeria Esports Federation( NEF) disclosed that Nigeria would compete at the esports world championship in both male and female categories. “I am glad to let you know that our country has qualified for the male and female e-football competition in Saudi Arabia next month. To this end, our team has since…
In May 2023, Safaricom received an operation license from the Ethiopian authorities. And to solidify its presence, the firm is set to provide its M-Pesa mobile money service before the end of the 3rd quarter of the year. In a trading update, Vodacom Group Limited, the parent company of Safaricom, announced the new development, which is anticipated to improve its Ethiopian operations revenue and profit turn-in objective by 2027. On this new development, the CEO of Safaricom PLC, Peter Ndegwa, said, “We are excited that this is a great milestone following our entry into Ethiopia. This positions us to provide…