Only tax-compliant betting firms should be spared closure

The standoff between SportPesa and the Betting Control and Licensing Board is in bad faith. The government last week listed among other companies, SportPesa, as tax defaulters thereby shutting their paybill numbers and SMS codes.

On Monday, the firm published reports revealing they remitted Sh6.4 billion to the taxman, while BCLB had earlier said the Sh200-billion-a-year industry had only remitted Sh4 billion cumulatively in 2017-18.

SportPesa in an influential sponsor of sports and if their reports are correct, they should be spared.

Kakamega