By The Weekly Vision Team
Recent reports highlighting a troubling trend where betting companies in Kenya fail to pay out winnings to gamblers are on the rise. These companies often engage in result manipulation and infringement on gamblers’ rights where several cases have ended up in court, with gamblers winning their lawsuits.
One such case involves Advanced Gaming Ltd., which refused to pay a gambler who had won his bets. The dispute was taken to the Betting Control and Licensing Board, which ruled that the gambler was entitled to the prize money and ordered its payment. Despite this directive, Advanced Gaming Ltd. did not comply, prompting the matter to be escalated to the high court.
Judge Janet Mulwa of the Nairobi High Court has now ordered Advanced Gaming Limited, operating as 1X BET, to pay Geoffrey Omwando Ngoge Ksh. 2,324,641.16—the amount he had rightfully won but was not paid by the company. This decision follows Ngoge’s motion dated 16/11/2023, which sought to have the Betting Control and Licensing Board’s judgment, issued on 9/10/2023, adopted as the court’s judgment. Ngoge’s motion was supported by an affidavit he swore on the same date.
The Betting Control and Licensing Board’s judgment, dated 9/10/2023, confirmed that 1XBET owed Ngoge Kshs. 2,324,641.16, as indicated by his betting slip. The Board’s directive required the payment of this amount, subject to statutory deductions.
In her ruling, Judge Mulwa noted that no appeal had been lodged against the Board’s decision and thus upheld the Board’s judgment. She confirmed that the Board’s decision was adopted as the court’s judgment and enforceable against Advanced Gaming Limited.
