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{
    "id": 1402166,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402166/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 235,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there was an issue earlier on about all these betting companies finding very many creative ways to avoid paying taxes. The first creative way was that they would say once we are done with all our gambling for the month, we will sit down, see the money that we have made, report and pay our taxes. An imperative question was asked. If a person is betting Kshs50 on a game tonight, why do you, as a betting company, have to wait until the end of the month to pay your 16 or 3 per cent levy? There was absolutely no reason. I am glad that this Bill is now addressing that. When you pay Kshs50, the money that hits the betting company account is the money that they need to get, but the taxes go directly to the tax collector. In that sense then, we are not having any arguments towards the end of the month saying that you made Kshs3 billion, yet you are only paying taxes amounting to this much. It becomes a very fair and easy calculation because truly if the taxman is asking for 3 per cent, then it is 3 per cent of the Kshs50 that I am betting. In essence, that money should not be stored with that betting company, but should go directly to the tax collector. This will ensure that as much as we are now accepting this ill called gambling, our economy can also benefit from the income that is coming from it. It makes work very easy for the tax authority, who do not have to sit down at the end of the month to follow on people and everything. That is one of the other reasons I am supporting this Bill. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there was an issue of the authorities who are going to enforce the activities that are governing this Bill. For instance, you would have all these City County or Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) agents coming in, shutting you down and then confiscating your machines or equipment. There was never really any legislation about what happens when you take my machines because sometimes that machine has my personal data as a client. So, you will find that an authority would come in, sweep the house, take all the machines and then you are involved in these negotiations between do I have a licence and have I been authorized? In the meantime, that machine that has the data of the end user is sitting somewhere very vulnerable to data trading. So, when I read some of the proposals that are there and how they would handle issues around the confiscation of these machines, I thought we need also that to be organized because sometimes even the machines that are confiscated, the authorities end up selling them. It thus becomes a whole other array of many things. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, interrogating this Bill got me to learn a lot about the money that is made in gambling, how the money is handled, and how we can do better. I am also very excited that there will be a percentage of the income of the taxes that will be channeled towards rehabilitation of our young people and the addicts of gambling. We will ensure that it is anchored in the regulations. At the end of the day, some level of responsibility has to be taken by these same companies in terms of rehabilitating people who are completely addicted to gambling. With those few remarks, I support this Bill. I look forward to seeing the regulations being tabled at my Committee on Delegated Legislation."
}