The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) on Saturday, October 31, suspended the license of Sportpesa betting firm just a day after announcing its resumption of services in the Kenyan market.
BLCB announced that Sportpesa will have to wait until a pending court case against the firm is decided for it to start its operations.
The case involves the license of Milestone Games Limited, which entered the Kenyan market as Sportpesa despite seeking approval from the betting control agency as Milestone Bet.
In a letter addressed to Milestone Games Limited (Sportpesa)on Friday, the BCLB barred betting firm Sportpesa from using that tradename pending the court case.
In the letter also, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) said that it approved the betting company Milestone Games Limited, which, upon receiving the go-ahead to operate in Kenya, chose by itself, to rebrand to Sportpesa without getting consent from the betting control agency.
“We note that Milestone Games Limited has been authorised to use the trademark Sportpesa by Sportpesa Global Holdings Limited, whereas during the 2020/2021 Financial Year renewal application, the Board authorised the use of trading name Milestone Bet to yourselves,” BCLB chairperson, Cyrus Maina, told the operations manager of Milestone Games Limited, Bernard Chauro, in a letter dated Friday, October 30.
According to BCLB, the name Sportpesa belongs to Pevans East Africa Limited, and, therefore, that name is not transferrable since Pevans East Africa Limited had filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal in Nairobi seeking to have Sportpesa’s license renewed.
