Several betting firms are mulling laying off hundreds of their workers after the government blocked their pay bill numbers.
The Friday order by the Interior Ministry to arrest any players caught operating without licenses has seen some of the betting companies withdrawing from the market after they failed to comply with the requirements of the Betting Control and Licencing Board.
A source at SportPesa who spoke to the Daily Nation revealed that the firm intends to send packing more than 600 employees following the crackdown by the government.
The source noted that the employees will be asked not to report to work starting this Monday, following the government‘s new directive aimed at regulating gambling in the country.
“Approximately 400 employees at our call centre will be affected as well as 100 technical staff based at Sameer Business Park on Mombasa Road. Also at risk are at least 60 marketing staff spread across the country and up to 40 managers,” said the source, as quoted Daily Nation.
More than 27 betting firms across the country have been affected by the new development. The firms are yet to comply with the rules and regulations of betting.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has said that the government has no plans of revoking its decision as far as the crackdown on the betting firms is concerned.