Kenya Deports 17 Gambling Sector Executives after Alleged $257m in Unpaid Taxes

22.05.2019, 18:08

Kenyan Interior Ministry has signed deportation orders on 17 people that were deemed to be in the country illegally. Most of the deported hold executive positions in the casino and gambling sector.

The deportation took place a day after the Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i revealed that the local gambling industry has withheld $257.2m from taxation. He also said that gambling operators “have found refuge in judicial processes where all manner of court orders are sought and issued.” Therefore, attempts to collect taxes were unsuccessful. 

Most importantly, Matiang’i threatens to revoke licenses of operators that fail to show tax compliance by July 1.

In regards to deportations, Matiang’i claimed that over 90% of the executives in the field are foreigners. According to him, these executives employ over 5,000 locals, but all the capital goes outside Kenya. 

“I have no problem signing deportation letters today so they can leave the country tonight,” he said about the executives that turn out to be working in the gaming industry instead of the fields for which their working permits were originally issued.

Now, the Interior Cabinet Secretary has acted and the first batch of people are to be deported. According to Standard Media, 109 people hold executive positions in the Kenyan gambling market. Most of them are:

• Chinese – 13
• Bulgarians – 12
• Serbia – 6
• South Korea – 6
• Czech- 6

Kenya is not cutting gambling industry any slack. Significant gambling advertising restrictions were also recently introduced in the country. Even though they were temporarily suspended yesterday, there’s no doubt that the government will double down on the market again.

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