Sportpesa CEO Ronald Karauri has denied claims that his company may in any way be engaged in money laundering.
Appearing on Jeff Koinange's Live Show, Karauri, said that the sports betting giant is a credible and tax-compliant organisation revealing that they paid Sh700 million in financial year 2015/2016.
"It is not right to say that Sportpesa could be engaged in money laundering because we are a successful betting company. We are a genuine company engaged in real business and that is why we pay taxes to KRA," said Karauri.
He added that the company was also sponsoring more than 36 tournaments across the country.
"Many people know only about the big sponsorships but we got very many other tournaments happening across the country that we sponsor," added Karauri.
However, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo who was also in the program argued that there existed several loopholes in the money mobile transfer law that could encourage money laundering.
"The government has to decide whether it want individuals to have more money than the State. We must all agree on a debated discourse. I am very worried that these very many betting companies could be engaged in money laundering," Midiwo said.
The MP said a law that would among other things curb addiction to betting need to be enacted in the near future.
Currently, there is around nine sport betting companies operating in Kenya with most low-income earners being the most affected by the betting craze.