Africa
Kenya may reduce gambling taxes
Kenya’s inconsistent gambling policy could take another U-turn if the new tax proposal is approved. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta reportedly declined to sign the new Finance Bill, 2018, which proposes a new gambling tax regime of 35 per cent. The president returned the bill to the parliament to revise the proposals. The president, reportedly, wants a gambling tax rate of 15 per cent.
For starters, here is a summary of Kenya’s summersaults in gambling tax rate. President Kenyatta himself signed legislation in June 2017 that boosted gambling taxes from as low as 5 per cent (for lotteries) and 7.5 per cent (for betting operators) to a new uniform 35 per cent rate for all gambling products. The new rate officially kicked in on January 1.
Since Kenyatta signed on the bottom line, gaming companies have fiercely lobbied legislators to reduce their tax rate to something they believe does not make their Kenyan operations unworkable. Two such reprieve efforts have already gone down to defeat, including an amendment to the Finance Bill that was rejected earlier this month.
Kenya’s Treasury Secretary had originally sought a truly nutty 50 per cent gambling tax and the 35 per cent rate was a compromise measure proposed by Kenyatta himself. Kenyatta previously resisted efforts to keep taxes at their earlier rates due to his stated desire to curb Kenyan youth’s gambling participation. It is unclear what might have prompted Kenyatta’s current about-face on this issue.
Business Daily quoted a National Assembly legislator familiar with the contents of Kenyatta’s memo saying there was little appetite in parliament for reopening the gambling tax debate due to the “social impact” of gambling. “This is where we are going to differ with the president.”
The anonymous parliamentarian failed to mention the impact that the tax hike has had on local sports bodies, as large betting operators such as SportPesa cited the tax hike as justification for scrapping its existing sports sponsorships, then renewing some of these deals at reduced rates.
Compounding matters, local sports bodies are complaining that the government has yet to release the portion of the Sh8b (US$79.3m) in new gambling taxes collected that are supposed to help fund their operations. The Standard quoted Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa saying that the treasury is waiting for parliament to approve the release of the funds.
Source: CalvinAyre
Africa
Hub88 partners with LiveGames to enhance content offering
Hub88 has partnered with live casino supplier LiveGames, further strengthening its product offering by adding a unique range of content to its platform.
LiveGames provides fully customisable online live dealer games and branded tables including the first vertical roulette table in the sector, along with crash games and the widely played Tombola.
The supplier delivers experiences with a player-focused design, easy to use mobile interface, and high-resolution broadcasts.
The partnership will support LiveGames’ goal to further expand in international markets, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America where Hub88 has a strong presence.
The deal showcases Hub88’s commitment to grow its ecosystem of partners, offering a diverse portfolio of products and content.
Ollie Castleman, Head of Hub88, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil this strategic partnership with LiveGames which sees us add a great provider to our platform, one that utilises modern technology to offer bespoke and personalised gaming experiences to players.
“We are looking forward to collaborating and strengthening our content library with their diverse games.”
The LiveGames Team said: “Our journey started in a small studio and as a team, we are excited about now expanding to every corner of the world together with Hub88 and their extensive operator network.
“We are committed to promoting innovation in the industry and this partnership will support us on that mission.”
Africa
NE Group powers 888bets launch in Angola
NE Group, a leading B2B iGaming software supplier, has teamed up with online gambling operator 888 to launch 888bets for the Angolan market.
888Africa was originally set up to operate 888 brands in online betting and gaming markets across hand-picked regulated countries within Africa. Angolan sports bettors will now have seamless access to online sports betting through 888bets.co.ao
NE Group specialises in offering innovative, lightweight front-end solutions for best-in-class iGaming experiences. An extensive localised knowledge is the inspiration behind a platform that is renowned for flexibility and adaptation for unique African preferences. Together with 888, the platform delivers smooth gameplay across diverse data speed environments – essential for broad accessibility in Africa.
For the first time in the country, Angolan bettors will have the opportunity to experience the acclaimed Aviator crash-game on the platform. Additionally, the new site incorporates built-in features and tools for Responsible Gaming teams to monitor and support safe gaming practices
NE Group CEO Imran Bukhari said: “It’s brilliant to see the 888bets sportsbook launch in Angola to bring sports betting fans an experience they deserve. Our specialised sports betting platform and lightweight frontend solution for Africa allows 888bets to quickly scale.”
888bets added: “As a country with huge potential, we expect big things from our launch in Angola. Working with NE Group has enabled us to deliver an experience that sports bettors will love and that is enriched with engaging products.”
Africa
KingMakers’ Nigerian operating business, BetKing, selects Genius Sports to power growth with in-play trading services
New partnership sees KingMakers’ BetKing business benefit from Genius Sports’ leading portfolio of in-play content in Nigeria, including football, tennis and basketball
Genius Sports Limited has today announced a new agreement to supply KingMakers, one of the fastest-growing group of betting operators in Africa, with a range of in-play trading services.
The deal sees BetKing power its live betting product with ultra-fast venue content for the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, English Football League, FIBA basketball and every other major European and South American football league.
Genius Sports will also provide BetKing with its market-leading trading services which include modelled odds feeds for major football competitions.
With in-play sports betting growing rapidly across Africa, fast and accurate odds are vital to maximising revenues by increasing the availability of betting markets.
Tim Smeets, Trading Director at Kingmakers said “We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Genius Sports. Their trusted trading solutions, including low-latency in-play content on crucial football leagues like the Premier League, will enable us to offer market-leading betting experiences for BetKing users in Nigeria.”
Will Westcott, Head of Business Development at Genius Sports said “Every year, we continue to invest in delivering the highest-quality trading services for the African market. With the value of in-play betting growing across Africa, we’re excited to help BetKing execute its online sports betting vision in Nigeria, by providing it with the fastest, most reliable live content on the market for major sports.”
-
Central Europe7 days ago
Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch
-
Latest News7 days ago
Evoplay strikes distribution agreement with Light & Wonder
-
eSports6 days ago
Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19
-
Central Europe7 days ago
Aleatrust Signs Up as Supporting Member of the Austrian Sports Betting Association
-
Latest News7 days ago
Week 16/2024 slot games releases
-
Latest News7 days ago
Casino Guru’s Complaint Resolution Center Leads Industry in 2023
-
Latest News7 days ago
Good 1st quarter of 2024 for FDJ, in line with Group projections
-
Latest News6 days ago
New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt