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[INDENT]The crackdown on betting and gambling machines has been opposed in court on grounds that the shutdown discriminates against small players.[/INDENT]
[INDENT]Activist Okiya Omtatah has sued Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, his principal secretary Karanja Kibicho and county commissioners, over the crackdown and wants them to be personally liable for destruction of the machines.[/INDENT]
[INDENT]Mr Omtatah claimed that there is more harm in the society from online and digital gambling platforms operated by multinational companies more than the local small businesses being targeted.[/INDENT]
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[INDENT] https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/economy/MPs-back-gambling-tax-review/3946234-4628918-8txgej/index.html [/INDENT]
[INDENT][/INDENT] ECONOMY
[SIZE=7]Reprieve for betting firms after MPs back gambling tax review[/SIZE]
SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2018 22:00
BY EDWIN MUTAI https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/image/view/-/4628920/medRes/2020699/-/maxw/960/-/13no0fj/-/slot.jpgA customer on a slot machine at a casino in Eastleigh, Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The Parliament has cut the proposed tax on lottery and betting winnings to 10 per cent and supported the Treasury’s bid to lower gaming levies by more than half to 15 per lcent
Finance and National Planning Committee has proposed to reduce tax on winnings from 20 per cent the Treasury had proposed to 10 per cent.
The Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill 2018 sought to restore the 20 per cent tax charged on betting winnings that was dropped in 2016 due to numerous hiccups in its implementation.
“To be able to increase the tax base to also include winnings who form approximately 88 per cent of all the revenue generated from these activities and because this is the first time taxation is being introduced, the committee was of the view that 20 per cent is too high and hence the adoption of 10 per cent for both residents and non-residents,” said Joseph Limo-chaired committee, in its report on the consideration of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
Gambling is an evil activity, the fact that we even allowed it into our society leaves one wondering.
For all yall youngies stay clear of any form of gambling.
There is something called the social cost of an activity…if you lived where ipii are stealing their grandmothers’ sufurias to get a few coins to gamble youy wouldn’t be talking that way. problems of living in Utopia and commenting on earthling things…
You missed the point of that article by a country mile. Okiya does not support gambling, but he is against discrimination. His point is that all gamblers should go home, not just the small players. After all, ipii will still sell sufurias to gamble online. G.O.K should stop robbing Peter to pay Paul.
What could be worse, dads committing suicide after betting their loans, salaries and proceeds from sale of property or children stealing 20/- from their mothers?
I have said before, in this country, it is unfortunate to be a small player. small gamblers, small thieves, small drug peddlers, small prostitutes, small hawkers, etc suffer under the law of the land. But the big players have special protection under the law and systems of the land.
Gambling, like prostitution, is a victimless vice. In the casino I go to, I’m served a dish of pasta and a drink nikiingia tu. Of course here there is no nonsense of some askaris coming to burn the roulette wheel or the slot machines.
The victim is the Kenya. When a betting company that isn’t owned by Kenyans sets up here and literally spirits away the cash off to foreign countries, we all suffer as a nation.
Remember, apart from the few staff employs and some advertising revenue, hakuna kitu ingine Wakenya wanakula kwa hizi betting companies.
They are not burning the big gambler stuff, instead they are targeting the small investor in the village. The law should apply equally to all, this is my point.