Betting online with less than Sh50 outlawed in Bill

Bets below Sh50 on online gambling will be declared illegal if the proposed Gaming Bill that seeks to curb betting is enacted into law.

Currently, gamblers stake less than Sh5 on sites like BetPawa, Elite Bet, BetYetu fuelling the rapid growth of online gambling among the young and vulnerable seeking millions in prize money.

Those in breach of the Sh50 cap in bets face a fine of not less than Sh5 million or a jail term not exceeding six years, says the Gaming Bill — which is currently under debate in Parliament.

Giant gaming firms like SportPesa, Betin and Betway that have operations beyond Kenya have restricted their minimum stake to Sh50.

“A player in an online gaming activity shall not bet an amount of less than Sh50 in a competition,” says the Bill.