GAMBIA
In March 2015, the Gambian government banned sports betting through legislation which complelled sports betting shops to cease their operations with immediate effect. Former President Yahya Jammeh, who came to power in a coup in 1994, said that sports betting and other forms of gambling had "mushroomed", meaning that a large number of sports betting shops had to close. he current government under President Adam Barrow has reversed the law in an effort to create jobs and provide a boost to the economy.
The reversal, which was made via executive decree, is part of a much larger plan to modernise the nation’s economy. Although there are no official statistics, local press report that the gambling industry is one of the highest employers in the country.
nation’s economy. Although there are no official statistics, local press report that the gambling industry is one of the highest employers in the country.
EAST AFRICA
East Africa’s economic growth is among the fastest in the world and its countries are becoming increasingly integrated and interdependent. In 2018, real GDP in East Africa grew by an estimated 5.7 per cent, slightly less than the 5.9 per cent in 2017. Tis is the highest among African regions. Economic growth is projected to remain strong, at 5.9 per cent in
2019 and 6.1 per cent in 2020.
East Africa’s strong growth has been reflected by a reduction in poverty and inequality. According to the African Development Bank Group, the region is still characterised by high poverty, inequality and unemployment. In addition ,the region has been riven by conflict for decades.
Upheavals in the 1980s saw several new governments take power. Tis has occurred in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda.
While Kenya has enjoyed relatively P32 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
stable governance, the Islamist militant Al-Shabab movement, active in Somalia, has launched a number of attacks in the region. Violence once again marred the last election in 2017 as around 100 people were killed, mainly in clashes between opposition supporters and security forces.
KENYA
Kenya is the third largest gambling market in Africa after Nigeria and South Africa. Te gaming industry in Kenya has grown to 200 billion shillings ($1.98 billion) from 2 billion, employing 5,000 people over the last five years. Bookmaker licences are issued which authorises bookmaking at any authorised race meeting. A fee is paid by each betting premise with a licence. Major changes to the industry look likely as the government has begun to impose tighter restrictions. Te government introduced a 35 per cent profit tax on gambling operators in early 2018 (which was later reduced to 15 per cent GGR,
while imposing a new 20 per cent tax on bettors’ winnings). Prior to this, bookmakers were taxed at just 5 per cent. In May this year, the government introduced new gambling regulations, including banning advertising outdoors and via social media.
In July, the Betting Control and Licensing Board announced that it had declined permission to renew licenses for around 27 firms over their failure to pay as much as $586m in taxes –an allegation the sports betting firms deny. A number of lawmakers recently came out in defence of the sports betting companies. In a joint statement, members of the National Assembly and Senate said that the state should allow the companies to continue with their operations because local sports clubs depended on their sponsorship and the sector provided jobs.
Te sports betting industry is likely to continue to be a focal point for controversy, especially in light of
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230
