i did read both, and in a way y'all are either agreeing on this or are completely talking about a different topic altogether. the point that iconoclastes brought about was that betting should be regulated by GOK (still wondering how) because kenyans are losing their livelihoods thanks to it. Nairobi walker's response sought to differ completely. Your response to Nairobi Walker though, I'm not sure whether you agree with him or like iconoclastes, seek to have GOK 'regulate' betting, thus my question 'what's your point' (si kwa ubaya, just sought to understand you).
Kenyan brand SportPesa shines in the English Premier League
Kenyan brand SportPesa shines in the English Premier League
- Thread starter MK254
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i did read both, and in a way y'all are either agreeing on this or are completely talking about a different topic altogether. the point that iconoclastes brought about was that betting should be regulated by GOK (still wondering how) because kenyans are losing their livelihoods thanks to it. Nairobi walker's response sought to differ completely. Your response to Nairobi Walker though, I'm not sure whether you agree with him or like iconoclastes, seek to have GOK 'regulate' betting, thus my question 'what's your point' (si kwa ubaya, just sought to understand you).
Muria
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 17, 2016
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OK Cool, here is my point. I actually agree with Icon on this. I meant to contrast Nairobi Walker's assertion that "he knows people who gamble and they are in no way close to people with a ruined life" by also showcasing that there are people who smoke weed (and are really derided within society) and the penalties for doing so is a long time in jail. I dont advocate for a jail sentence for betting mind you but gambling, just like Smoking/Drinking etc is a social ill and needs tighter regulation rather than the glorification that we are currently seeing.
To answer on how the GOK can regulate betting, there are several ways.
1. (And i understand the govt is already working on this) Is to tax heavily the betting companies and any winnings on bettings so as to "discourage" betting. If you knew your 1m KES would be taxed at 65% such that you only get 350k, you wont have so many students betting away their school fees. (The taxes should then go back into financing sporting activities in the country i.e. build stadia, pay for athlete tickets to olympics, sponsor little known sports etc...)
2. Intervene directly by having the BCLB set standards/rules to be adhered to e.g. raise the minimum bets to be placed (therefore discouraging the least affected who are mostly the poor citizens), what can be bet on (this has already happened such that you cant bet on local KPL matches to avoid match fixing etc.) As with all things govt, the more government involved, the less citizens will want to come near it. 🙂
Betting/Gambling money worldwide has a penchant for attracting the weird fellas (think the Chinese Mafia, Italian Mob) and for a region like ours, we would be in immense trouble if we left it unchecked and hoped for the best.
Even if not convinced, I hope I am understood. 😀😀
Iconoclastes
JF-Expert Member
- May 26, 2014
- 4,091
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Impose hefty taxes on the betting firms as well as on the individuals on their gains from betting. Raise the cost of those SMS the players send. The state can impose a cap on the maximum amount of money one can wager in a bet and also the maximum amount one can win in SMS-based bets.
I believe that such measures would somehow dampen this enourmous appetite among Kenyans to bet, in the hope that by so doing they are poised to striking it rich without much sweat.
This industry isnt well regulated, that should be a concern.
Pipo,s poor judgements are been exploited by these betting firms.
I am opposed to that argument that gambling is personal decision and therefore in that regard nothing should be done about it. I verily tell u, gambling is a disease of the mind anymore than addiction to alcohol and the other drugs are.
Look, even though indulgence in drugs and alcoholism are driven by the individuals' self-will in pursuit of pleasure, the government of Kenya, just like all the other governments around the world have recognized the destructive nature of these habits, and embarked on extensive initiatives to curtail the indulgence. Here in Kenya, taxes were raised on alcoholic drinks and cigarette products, drug pushing is regarded a very serious crime punishable by long prison sentence and their exists an age limit at which a person is allowed to consume alcohol. There is even a restriction on advertisement of alcoholic goods and cigerattes here in Kenya.
Gambling has the same destructive effect to the society as alcohol and drugs, I need not lecturer u on that. But think about this for a second, a person chosing to withdraw his entire life's savings or use the bank loan or his school fees or his salary to use as a wager in a bet. If that is not madness, what is it?
I suspect that my collegue at my place of work, who is janitor has been going around duping pipo with stories in order to obtain money from them, in order to fund his gambling craze. He is not normal. I liked him, and was this willing to help him in whatever way I could. Now I resent him, he lied to me.
Such reltionships are tearing apart accross this country; betwn friends, siblings, couples etc, thanks to pipo's money being misappropriated in this gambling craze.
Iconoclastes
JF-Expert Member
- May 26, 2014
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And BTW, if this is nothing but a personal choice, that nobody should bother about it: then we should as well permit drug pushing. Let those who want to consume the drugs proceed uninhibited, for they have after all their free will. The govt is anyway losing this war against drugs, so why not?
Sammuel999, Bavaria, kwelko, NairobiWalker.....did I not hear u all saying an emphatic NO to that?
Sammuel999, Bavaria, kwelko, NairobiWalker.....did I not hear u all saying an emphatic NO to that?
Amanijua
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 7, 2014
- 1,776
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Well said.
simplemind
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 10, 2009
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The roulette table pays nobody except
him that keeps it. Nevertheless a passion
for gaming is common, though a passion for keeping
roulette tables is unknown.
– George Bernard Shaw
him that keeps it. Nevertheless a passion
for gaming is common, though a passion for keeping
roulette tables is unknown.
– George Bernard Shaw
Iconoclastes and Muria i hear y'all. Very valid points indeed. i believe everything has it's pros and cons. The government we are calling onto for regulation is up until this point so non committal with regards to developing systems and investing in sports facilities as it were. I strongly believe that any monies taxed will be directly injected into personal coffers (You know i'm right, if not so, explain why we have not seen any stadium being constructed from scratch by the government despite them promising to do the same in every county. what we are seeing instead are scanty shameless refurbishments of existing 'stadia'). on the flip-side, punitive taxation only discourages investment. I would maybe suggest mass education and awareness campaigns as a statutory requirement by the govt from the betting institutions on healthy gambling and all CSR expenses to be allowable for Tax purposes upon solid evidence of impact on society's well being. In this way, an industry won't be tax choked to running out of biz while at the same time gamblers would be wiser and society would benefit through CSR activities.