Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, whose attempt for gambling regulations recently flopped, has warned the practice will break the economy.
Midiwo likened controlling the "disease" in Kenya to dealing with the activities of the mafia.
He
said he had learned of a person who makes Sh200 million through gambling.
"The state should be worried since that person can overthrow a government," he said, noting a lot of money is made when an average of six million Kenyans place Sh100 bets daily.
"We are not trying to put them out of business...
Slot machines around the country should be declared illegal by executive order."
The MP further noted he was informed that someone committed suicide after losing Sh9,000.
It is good to always take time to think," said Midiwo, who is also deputy minority leader in the National Assembly.
"Why go into poultry farming when you can get money on your phone without working hard?
In Nyeri, when a mama mboga sells their wares, you find them gambling in slotting machines. Is this not hurting the economy?"
Midiwo questioned how a Kenyan company - SportPesa - can sponsor
English Premier League club Hull City.
"When a company sponsors a foreign team, they are telling you that they can export your money. That company could be exporting more money than what the government is borrowing," he said.
He said
if the country was
losing Sh1 billion a day, Kenyans were losing a huge percentage of the Gross Domestic Product.
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"I read an article that said more than 90 per cent of those who win jackpots either end their lives or end up addicted," he said.
He added:
"There is no online gambling in the US, you go to casinos. The problem is bigger Kenya because of mobile money.
As it were, your two-year old child can bet."
Parents
and two sports betting companies for using their children’s images to promote betting and gambling.
They said that on July 3, Green Sports Africa and Mcheza placed billboard advertisements without their consent.
Midiwo's attempts to form a parliamentary committee to
and regulate the betting craze was shot down after debate.
The motion sought to have the industry regulated to ensure no tax evasion and money laundering, and that
and it is run according to international best practices.
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