NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31 – Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has directed the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) to ensure gaming firms have written compliance from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Financial Reporting Centre (FRC).
In a statement sent to newsrooms, Matiangi said despite governments efforts to regulate the sector through licensing, rogue and unlicensed companies sneak in and try to operate illegally in the country.
“Consequently, it has become necessary to subjecting betting and gaming firms to stringent regulatory regime. In this regard, the Betting Control and Licensing Board is hereby directed to ensure all licensing for renewal and new licenses from July 1, 2022 comply with written clearances from KRA, Interagency team and financial reporting centre,” Matiangi stated.
The board was further directed to block access to mobile cash transfer numbers linked to betting companies operating illegally in the country.
“The BCLB to continuously monitor, identify and report to the communications authority of Kenya all unlicensed local and foreign betting and gaming websites for blockage,” Matiangi directed.
Matiangi pointed out that illegal betting firms provide avenues for money laundering, tax evasion and financing of criminal activities among other things.
