Tag: Kenya
Nairobi introduces new casino licence fees
Nairobi City County Assembly has approved new legislation which will see the introduction of a local regulator and specific licence fees.
Africa’s highest casino proves a tall order
Aiming to create a “little Dubai” on the white sands of Kenya’s coastline, Palm Exotica has the backing of local residents in Watamu, but not of the national planning authorities
Kenya: Betting wins tax battle, but president recommends war
After a mid-month victory for betting operators with the overturning of a 20 percent tax stakes, a new threat has emerged to Kenya’s gambling industry: a..
Kenya continues east African dominance despite uneasy landscape
The operational state of play in Kenya has been one long typified by instability and this April proved to be little different.
In the short space of month the gaming landscape in Kenya has seen it’s fair share of worrying developments. The national revenue authority has decried an action of the judiciary, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has served an...
BiG Africa Supershow 2019 – Only 2 Months to go
According to ventures Africa, the combined size of the gambling industry in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa was projected to be worth a staggering $37 billion in 2018.
One of the great things about the African market is that it’s mostly African companies who have the majority market share, showing a clear link that, African punters are more likely to...
Why the African gaming sector is BiG business in 2019 – BiG Africa Supershow 2019
South Africa
In 2015, PwC South Africa’s senior manager; Sanchia Temkin reported in the annual gambling sector outlook that gaming industry revenues are expected to make a massive rise to R30 Billion (USD$2,17 Billion) in 2019. In later editions of the report in 2017 drafted by Pietro Caliccio and Yolan Naidoo, we see that the predicted rise grew even further...
Kenya affirms itself as East African market leader
Kenya recently became the first ever African host of a tourism world congress, drawing light to a national market that has weathered storms to establish itself as East Africa’s top player.
More than 500 delegates from 40 countries arrived in Mombasa for
the 79th International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals World Congress, being hosted on the African continent for the...
Kenya moves to cut controversial tax rate after parliament showdown
Kenya’s President has fought off stoic parliament opposition and signed off on a finance bill that will see the end of the much maligned 35 percent tax on gaming revenue.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has positioned himself firmly at odds with members of the nation’s parliament after he signed off on a measure that would cut the nation’s controversial 35...
Regulatory disparity between federal and county bodies putting Kenyan market growth at risk
The full extent of Kenya’s restrictive gaming legislation is becoming apparent to those outside of the industry, with local authorities now lending their voice against the government’s policies.
Officials in the Kenyan casino hub of Nairobi are joining criticism of the nation’s gaming framework, something which is not only harming operators and dissuading international investment but is seemingly largely to...
Kenya high court demands Matiang’i suit response
The Kenyan High Court has demanded that interior cabinet secretary, Fred Matiang’i, must respond to a suit that alleges he ordered the illegal confiscation of slot machines.
Matiang’i had been responsible for a drive to rid the nation of illegal betting units. He and several county commissioners have confiscated and destroyed hundreds of such machines as part of a crackdown...
Kenyan parliament blocks tax reprieve proposals
The Kenyan Government has refused to bow to pressure from casino, sports betting and tourism leaders and declined a review of its calamitous gaming tax framework.
It would seem that the voice of reason has not yet reached the Kenyan parliament as MPs have blocked the wholesale reviews of its gaming taxation framework, despite widespread protestations about the negative impact...
Africa comment: Tax will make fools of us all
In what for now ends one of the more frustrating will-they-won’t-they scenarios in Africa, the members of the Kenyan parliament have ratified a decision to financially maim its casino market and expect it to keep working.
The powers that be have decided that the best way to support the underperforming sector is to uphold a 35 percent revenue tax and...
Kenya builds foundations for future prosperity
The Kenyan government is continuing to reform all levels of its gaming market through a course of grass level legitimisation and much needed tax structure review.
Progress towards a balanced, regulated gambling landscape is leading to top-to-bottom reforms throughout Kenya. At the highest levels of government the much maligned blanket tax on gambling is potentially up for review and at...
Kenyan Government turns down tax cuts
Members of Kenya’s Parliament have rejected a plan to cut the much-maligned blanket tax on gambling activities from 35 to 15 percent and have instead drawn up plans for the reallocation of the extra funds.
The country’s Treasury proposed amendments to the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act, that would lead to the lessening of revenue taxation but saw these withdrawn...
Kenyan MPs call for regulatory shake up
Members of the Kenyan Parliament have called for a shake up of the nation’s Betting Control and Licensing Board as the move towards total gaming legitimisation continues to be hampered by organisational constraints.
Members of Kenya’s Sports, Culture and Tourism Committee have proposed changes to the nation’s Betting Control and Licensing Board(BCLB) after deeming it unfit for purpose at a...
Contested elections and taxes: The rocky road ahead for Kenya
In the wake of one annulled election followed by a rerun widely boycotted for fear of farce Kenya has now seen the main opposition party declared a criminal group, and its leader appointing himself as unofficial leader of the nation.
Alone this would prove a difficult market environment for operators to work in, but those in the industry have additionally...
Kenya relaxes visa restrictions amid tourism boom
Kenya has joined 21 other African countries in lessening visa restrictions for those travelling within the continent as part of a concentrated effort to boost tourism.
After taking the oath of office for his second term, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has moved to increase collaboration with other nations on the continent as tourism continues to grow in prominence as a...
International support continues to grow with 47 nations represented at the first Gaming Africa
Gaming professionals from Brazil to Botswana, Germany to Ghana and Lithuania to Lesotho will be amongst the delegates expected at the inaugural Gaming Africa, Clarion Gaming’s two day conference and learning symposium being held across 24th and 25th October in Johannesburg.
Representatives from a total of 47 nations have registered to be part of the free to attend event, including...
Tough talk from Kenya’s operators over gambling tax hike
Kenya’s proposed tax hike on all gambling revenue has been met with a backlash from the industry, but no operator has vowed to leave the country - yet.
On 21 June, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a tax hike of 35 percent on gambling revenues as part of the country’s Finance Bill, a significant increase compared with the...
Africa leads the way in ushering in cashless era
A number of regions on the African continent, including Kenya and Nigeria, are seeing a shift in their gaming economy towards a cashless iGaming market, propelled by the rapid expansion of mobile technology.
As the Kenyan government toughened its restrictions on the importation of gaming machines, players in the country were quietly welcoming the country’s first mobile casino app, allowing...
