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{
    "id": 1402160,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402160/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 229,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "gambling activity shall conduct activity under a gambling control system approved by the authority. The authority cannot approve a system under that subclause unless you, as the licensee, provide amongst other things, at subclause 2(g), responsible advertising. What he was concerned about is something I think the legislation has already anticipated and provided for. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in Clause 69 of the Bill, there is a definition of when online transactions begin and end. There is a minimum number of days provided for your payout to be made. The concerns by Sen. Cherarkey that you can win money and the betting firm refuses to remit that money is something that has also been anticipated in this particular Bill. I believe it has also been properly taken care of. I would want someone to explain to me the rationale of the minimum betting in Clause 71. The minimum bet has been set at Kshs20, which is inclusive of a saving component. If you bet Kshs20, there is an amount of money that is set aside as savings for you by the authority. The minimum bet by the authority is set at Kshs20. I would want some clarification from the Committee during the debate on what that is about. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you go to Section 73(6), you will see the need for us to not appear as if there are gaps in legislation when it comes to protecting young people. In that section, an operator is made to require proof of age of majority prior to the registration of every player. You cannot register as a player on an online betting site without having produced proof of your being of age of majority. For me, other than some of the concerns that have been raised by the Senate Majority Leader on the adequacy of fines for some of the penalties that have been prescribed, I believe that this is one of the few pieces of legislation that has come before this House that I have minimum problems with. I also encourage us not to be in the business of demonizing everything and making everything appear unholy and ungodly, especially when it comes to choices that are being made by grown people. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if the feeling of Parliament is that a person of 18 years or any other age should not probably be exposed to some of these things, it is very much in order for us to require even a higher age. If we say that for someone to participate in gambling, he or she has to be above 30 or 40 years old, it is possible for us, as a House, to do this. However, I do not condemn without asking myself what the systemic problems that have given root to the abuse of some of these practices are, with some people ending up addicted. The underlying socioeconomic factors are the things that we, as a House and leaders, have to address. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, someone who completed university 10 years ago and has never got any opportunity to be employed anywhere, they have degrees and yet, they need to eat and a place to sleep, who are you who has failed to provide that environment where they can sustain themselves and pay for their expenses? Who are you to judge that person when they decide that if they make Kshs50, they are going to put Kshs20 on Arsenal losing this afternoon? It is not right for us, as leaders, especially when we have not addressed the socioeconomic challenges, to judge people and say that the people who engage in gambling are evil. Who are you, who has never provided any opportunity for people to be employed to judge a person who has nowhere to go on Monday morning? There is no 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."
}