Beware! Govt stops ‘Shinda Smart 6969’

By CYRUS OMBATI

The Government has stopped the ‘Shinda Smart 6969’ SMS lottery that has been promoted on local television stations as police moved in to investigate the promotion’s managers for possible criminal offence.

In a public notice signed by the chairman, Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), Lucas Maitha, the Government also revoked with immediate effect, the licence issued to Interactive Gaming and Lotteries Ltd, the operators of "Shinda Smart 6969".

The action was necessitated by the failure of the company to comply with the High Court Order issued on December 29, last year.

The notice also bans the company from any further advertising and promoting the lottery through print and electronic media and cautions the public against participating in it.

The move came a day after detectives from Criminal Investigations Department headquarters and Central Bank of Kenya officials raided offices and display places of the popular SMS-based lottery in Nairobi in search of evidence that back up a case they are investigating.

The detectives were still looking for the managers of the lottery as it emerged they had not reported to their working place.

This was after the firm running the lottery defied CBK orders not to use local currency https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images in its promotions.

The officers went to the Westgate Mall in Westlands, where the managers have displayed three cars, which were part of the prizes to be won and later visited the firm’s offices along Fifth Ngong Avenue but found the offices closed.

Looking for managers

"We are still looking for the managers and hope to get them," said a senior CID officer.

However, promoters of the lottery have urged wananchi to continue taking part in Shinda Smart, arguing they have acquired a court order barring the Betting Control and Licensing Board from revoking their licence.

The lottery has been entangled in a court case with BCLB, which had threatened to revoke its licence for going against the laid down rules.

CBK wrote to Flint East Africa Ltd, which runs the show last week, and warned of penalties if its directive was disregarded. "You should cease from using the https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images in any form whatsoever forthwith and any continued advertisement will be subject to the penalties," read part of the story.

The letter said the company failed to disclose that currency https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images would be used for promotions when it applied for authorisation in November, last year.

Participants in the promotion are required to send a short message to 6969 to get a chance to win prizes.