SportPesa is back!

The sports betting company announced on Friday that it was resuming its services in Kenya after being forced by the government to suspend its operations locally. 

Sportpesa, which operates in Kenya under its mother company Pevans East Africa Limited, announced its return to the local sports betting and thanked its fans for their support.

“SportPesa is delighted to resume operations in Kenya. We are pleased to once again offer gaming services to our customers,” the betting firm announced in a tweet on Friday.

It added: “Over the coming months, we are excited to explore a wide range of partnerships in the country. Thank you for the support.”

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SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri also tweeted the good news to adent supporters of the company and the vibrant sports betting scene. 

“SportPesa is back! I’m happy to announce that the SportPesa brand is back under a new BCLB license holder. As market leaders, SportPesa will focus on upholding the highest standards of service and responsible gaming. We look forward to working closely with BCLB and all other stakeholders,” Karauri tweeted excitedly. 

The betting company halted operations in Kenya in September 2019 after the government increased the tax on betting stakes, a move the betting company had opposed, including in the courts.

The suspension came as the government had raised issue about effects of gambling in Kenya, even as online sports gambling firms continued to grow exponentially in Kenya even as MPs voted to raise the excise duty on bets from 10% to 20%. 

According to the government, at the time, the betting industry in Kenya generated revenues of Sh204 billion in 2019 alone.

Sportpesa headed by CEO Ronald Karauri in Kenya also has operations in Tanzania, South Africa, Italy, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the UK, where it operates in conjunction with TGP Europe.