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{
"id": 1626187,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1626187/?format=api",
"text_counter": 159,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I request that we conclude on this business today, if possible, so that when we get the opportunity to have a regulatory authority, then we shall invite them to this House and now ask the hard questions. Maybe there are technological solutions available to these companies that are running betting online and do not have presence in Kenya or pay taxes in this country. In this country, there is a lot of ways in which we can find them. I know, for example, Sen. Ledama, since earlier on, you had asked me what might be the solution, you can force their bookmakers. All these online betting firms rely on bookmakers that are regulated in countries that have stronger regulations in this space than the Republic of Kenya, to give us the odds. This way, you will be able to establish how many transactions they made out of this country and what it is that they paid. In this law, thanks to the mediated version of the Report, even if we have no ways of finding and establishing, we shall continue to demand of them until such a time that we catch up with you. You may be domiciled out of a country that attacks happened, that Kenya has no relationship with, but somehow someway, when the long arm of the law eventually catches up with you, you will pay into the Republic of Kenya. Therefore, I appreciate that proposition that has come from this Committee to tax even those that are participating in the online space and have no physical space in offices in Kenya. You may not have the chance to recover anything from them at this point, but somehow, someway, one day, one time, you will find the opportunity. Lastly, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I would like ask our colleagues to treat this matter with the urgency that is needed. Listening to those that are opposed and supporting this, there is one point that we all agree on; that, this is a space that needs our urgent attention as policy makers, so that we find a way. Sen. Ledama is proposing that we create a city akin to Las Vegas or China’s Macao. However, that will only work for those that operate on casinos. What about those that participate in the online space? What will you do to them? As I have said, there is no way of stopping them. Therefore, I urge Sen. Ledama that, let us create the authority first, then the rest follows. With those remarks, I beg to support and thank the colleagues who did a lot of work in bringing this Report before the House. I thank you."
}