Sports betting platform SportPesa appears to be back after a court revoked an effort by the local gambling regulator to block the company’s revival.
In the online court ruling issued yesterday, Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya ordered Safaricom to reopen all its paybill numbers.
“The ex parte Applicant is granted leave to apply for an order of Certiorari to move into this Court for purposes of being quashed, a decision of the Respondent contained in the letter dated 31st October 2020 Ref No. BCLB 11/152 VOL.I (14) indefinitely and unilaterally suspending the lawfully issued license to the Ex Parte Applicant,” Lady Justice Nyamweya ordered.
The Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) was also ordered to reactivate the company’s website, effectively giving the betting firm clearance to resume its services within the country.
In addition, the company can now also access its bank accounts after the High Court lifted orders barring it from dealing in the cash deposits over a Ksh14.3 billion tax claim by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
This is after the Betting Control and Licensing Board prohibited Milestone Games Limited from using the trade name SportPesa on grounds that the original owner of the name, Pevan East Africa Limited, had filed a case in court over licensing.
