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{
    "id": 686727,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/686727/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 188,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Tobiko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1663,
        "legal_name": "Peris Pesi Tobiko",
        "slug": "peris-pesi-tobiko"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to support this Bill. As we said during Hon. Midiwo’s Motion on control of betting, this is a Bill whose time has come. Betting and gaming is a sector that has been left largely uncontrolled yet it is a sector which deals with huge amounts of money. We have companies like SportPesa and other lotteries. It is definitely more than welcome for the Government to start levying taxes on this sector. It is not just about taxation. Investigations in this area have to be done. As the Member for Kandara said, we need to know the genuine charities and lotteries in order to protect our people from being conned. We know that our youth spend a lot of time playing pool. I remember some time back women in the country rose up to fight illicit brews. In my constituency, a lot of women had issues with pool gaming because our youth waste a lot of time in pool game dens. There are also games like horse racing and safari rallies, where a lot of money is involved. The Government could gain by regulating the sector by taxing these games. As a previous speaker mentioned, these are games for people who have money to spare. A number of people are addicted to betting. Others hope that they can make money out of them. In the process, they have lost money and have become frustrated. We have young people who have lost even the little money they had. There are those who even lose their bus fare and so they are unable to go home. This has caused a lot of emotional pain to families. Men have gambled and lost what was meant for the family. Whereas it may be a game for others, it is a matter of life and death for the poor people who lose the little money that they have. So, this Bill is necessary. It addresses a very crucial issue. I think we still need regulation."
}