Everton sponsor linked to betting addiction in Kenya
EVERTON sponsor SportPesa remains under attack from the Kenyan government, which has accused gambling firms of contributing to a huge growth in addiction issues among young people.
Kenya has refused to renew the firm’s betting licence and interior cabinet secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has linked the rapid rise of online gambling in the African country, which has strong ties to the Premier League, to youth suicides.
SportPesa, the major betting company in the country, sponsors Everton as well as Championship side Hull. Another major firm, 1XBET, has a partnership with Tottenham and features the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli in adverts in Kenya. 1XBET has also signed global betting partnerships with Chelsea and Liverpool. With links between gambling firms and football coming under increasing scrutiny, it is the tie-up with companies heavily invested in Kenya which is causing the most controversy given the acute issues in that country.
Dr Matiang’i recently told Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper: ‘We cannot be a gambling nation. We must live an honest life. Many youths end up frustrated when they fail in gambling and end up committing suicide.’
Kenya is the biggest and most-developed African market for gambling due to its digitisation and a mobile currency known as M-Pesa. Campaigners say that addiction among young people has become a major social issue.
SportPesa insists that the dispute is primarily a tax issue, that its licence has not been suspended and that the firm is fully compliant with tax and legal requirements in Kenya.
A SportPesa spokesperson said: ‘On 1 July 2019, the Kenyan gambling regulator declined to begin the renewal of SportPesa’s licence application, along with the licences for over 20 other companies. This disagreement is due to a complex and long-running tax dispute between the betting sector and the Kenyan Revenue Authority.
‘SportPesa takes its commitment to ensuring responsible gaming in Kenya extremely seriously.
‘We fully embrace our duty of care towards our customers. We therefore strongly encourage the Kenyan authorities to bring betting regulation in Kenya in line with internationally-recognised standards, and to work with the sector in the interests of Kenyans and supporting a stable business environment.’
SportPesa has secured a court ruling to allow it to continue to operate in Kenya but the government responded by blocking banking services to betting companies.
A hearing tomorrow is now due to rule on whether the government is acting legally in its clampdown.
Everton declined to comment.
Tottenham said last week that they are meeting with 1XBET, whose licence renewal has also been suspended, to seek assurances that the company is operating within the parameters of its gaming licence.