Kenyan gambling regulator storms SportPesa office
Operator reacts by threatening to pursue legal action over “pattern of intimidation and harassment"
Kenyan sports betting outfit SportPesa was raided by police and the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) yesterday, 17 December, according to local media.
Press reports suggested witnesses said the authorities seemed ready to confiscate equipment since they arrived with a lorry, yet they couldn’t gain access to the building and were forced to leave empty-handed.
However, the operator has hit back by stating its intention to take legal action against the regulator for the swoop on its office in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
The company has vowed to sue both the BCLB and the Interior Ministry for ignoring an order by the Nairobi High Court to stand down until a hearing in January on whether SportPesa is currently allowed to operate in the country.
A statement issued by SportPesa accused the BCLB of a “pattern of intimidation and harassment” targeted against Milestone Games Ltd, the company which operates SportPesa, and its management, employees and customers.
The company also complained of “continued blatant disregard and violation” of the orders issued on 3 December by the High Court after Justice Pauline Nyamweya issued various orders preventing the regulator from “interfering with the operations and business”.
Meanwhile, SportPesa tweeted at 4.23pm GMT yesterday to its 101,000 followers that a “technical hitch” affecting deposits and withdrawals had been resolved.
We are happy to let you, our esteemed customers, know that the small technical hitch affecting deposits and withdrawals on the platform that occurred earlier in the day, has been resolved. pic.twitter.com/gpeSZ9TGzr
— SportPesa Kenya (@SportPesa) December 17, 2020
An earlier tweet that day insisted the business remains in operation as per the High Court order issued on 3 December.
Last month, SportPesa successfully relaunched to Kenyan players following the temporary reinstatement of its sports betting licence in the country.
It followed a ruling by the High Court that an injunction preventing Milestone Games from the SportPesa brand was invalid.
The BCLB had previously banned Milestone Games from using the brand and web domains over a dispute as to who owned them.