Fourty seven lottery machines have been confiscated in various parts of Kisumu town since the county administration stepped in to reign in on illegal gambling.
The operation started last week after Kisumu County Commissioner Maalim Mohamed directed all the deputy county commissioners to collaborate with relevant chiefs and assistant chiefs in a bid to control gambling and betting craze in the county.
“Apart from confisticating the machines, our officers have also arrested eight people among them owners of the machines and gamblers. Most of these machines are being operated illegally without licenses from the Betting Control and Licensing Board,” he said to the press on Monday.
He said the operation will continue until the county gets rid of all illegal lottery machines.
The machines had become a common feature in many estates in Kisumu County such as Nyalenda, Manyatta and Obunga.
With as little as Sh20, youth, men and women have been visiting lottery machines strategically placed in front of popular shops, hotels and cyber cafés in order to earn much through gambling.
Wycliffe Ochieng was arrested with others on Thursday last week when police rounded him in Obunga at around 9pm while getting ready to gamble.
They were taken to the Obunga police post before being transferred to the central police station where they spent the night.
He was released the next day after paying a fine of Sh4, 000.