[A betting slip. Photo/Courtesy]
President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that the proposal to levy heavy taxes on betting betting firms can be reviewed but still reiterated the importance of controls.
The president said the betting companies have the window to hold dialogue with the relevant government organisations to address their grievances.
"I know there is a big cry in the gaming industry because of the 50 per cent tax but we can sit down and engage with the affected parties," he said.
"We were very concerned about betting among school-goers so we made it difficult for people to bet. We want people who bet to have their money go to constructive projects through tax," he added.
He said this on Monday when he launched the information portal for Jubilee's successes.
Earlier, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo who drafted the Gambling Bill had warned that gambling will harm Kenya's economy and likened controlling this "disease" to dealing with mafia activities.
He argued that he knew a person who makes Sh200 million just by gambling.
"The state should be worried since that person can overthrow a government," he said, saying a lot of money was made when an average of only six million Kenyans placed Sh100 bets daily.