Another firm enters sports betting boom

A Greek company, Intralot has entered the Kenyan sports betting market through a partnership with Acumen Communications Limited (ACL). Trading under mCheza brand, the firm wants to tap into the growing popularity of sport betting business in Kenya.

A dozen of companies have already launched led by Sportpesa, Betway and Betin. mCheza brand seeks to create an interactive platform where football fans can create accounts and predict scores for football matches played across the world to stand a chance of winning prizes.

“A client can call and instruct not to be allowed to play more than a certain amount,” says mCheza CEO, Peter Karimi. “We have in our systems surveillance mechanisms to monitor betting behaviors to curb over spending among our clients.”

Mr Karimi said the partnership will invest $15 million (Sh1.5 billion) across East Africa over the next three years in order to raise the profile and impact of sports gaming in the region.

“We want to tap into the Kenyan market but with responsible betting in order to give enthusiasts a different experience,” Karimi said. He notes: “We are rewarding talent and not charity work. A sportsman must not bet to be rewarded. This is a livelihood platform and not betting.”

ACL director Julie Gichuru noted that the partnership will help in identifying good footballers at the grassroots level through outreach programmes. —Kurian Musa