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{
    "id": 1402125,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402125/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 194,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Gambling Control Bill, (National Assembly Bills No.70 of 2023), be now read a Second Time. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Bill was published in the Supplementary Kenya Gazette No.212 of 2023. It was considered by our colleagues in the National Assembly and passed on the 6th December, 2023. Thereafter, the Bill was referred here to the Senate for consideration. This Bill seeks to provide for the regulation of betting casinos and other forms of gambling, authorization of price competitions, and public lotteries, for the establishment of a gambling regulatory authority of Kenya for the imposition of tax on betting and other forms of gambling. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you are very much aware that gambling is here with us. We must learn to live with it because, unfortunately, this is an industry which - to the best of my knowledge - we are still struggling as a country. The good thing, though, is that it is not a challenge that is unique to us as Kenya alone. The world over, control of casinos and gambling activities poses a challenge to almost all administrations. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you know that many sporting teams have betting companies as their shirt sponsors. In the English Premier League, they have given themselves and all teams three seasons in total to remove betting companies as their shirt sponsors. Therefore, it points out to the fact that this is a global concern. We have to learn how to live with this industry and adjust ourselves towards this wind. Unfortunately, we have not done so well as a country. About three to five years ago, Kenya began the imposition of taxes on betting. At that time, the thinking was that we could use taxes in 2018 as a deterrence to keep young people from either betting or being addicted to it altogether. What a terrible mistake. I do not understand betting that much because I do not gamble. I am just a good sportsman who knows that winning and losing depends on how you are prepared for the day. Sometimes it falls into your favour, sometimes it gets away. On a day like today, I wish the good old Arsenal Football Club can beat Bayern Munich. If you speak to other people, they will tell you that they have already placed a bet and they know what needs to happen. The minute you place a bet in Kenya - like Sen. Sifuna is now telling me that he has already placed a bet - you are deducted part of that money. If you win, there will also be a deduction. This tells you that our thinking as a country is that we can use tax as a deterrent, so that many young people do not engage themselves. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}