How Kenyans reacted to SportPesa’s withdrawal of sponsorship
Kenyans on social media have shared their views following top gaming firm SportPesa’s withdrawal of its Sh1 billion worth of sponsorship deals with local sports institutions.
SportPesa settled on this decision almost in protest, following the government’s move to impose a 35 percent tax on all revenues raised by betting, gaming and lottery firms. This tax rate has been deemed so high by industry players.
But of immediate concern is the effects these withdrawals would have on the giant sporting entities such as Football Kenya Federation, the Kenyan Premier League, Kenya Rugby Union, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, all of whom directly depend on SportPesa for survival.
Here are some of the sampled thoughts:
The amount of cash Sportpesa uses to sponsor Everton & Hull City is enough to build a cancer hospital FOR Kenyans.Dont #ReconsiderBettingTax
— Terry (@TerryBrenda_) June 23, 2017
Why can’t the govt impose a 50% tax on all churches? Their money is never accounted for! #ReconsiderBettingTax
Ronald Karauri— Terrible Savage Dog (@allen_arnold) June 23, 2017
#ReconsiderBettingTax They cannot sustain the 35% gaming tax because we pay over 10,000 employees salaries millions of shillings each month
— Sir Edwin. MBS (@LordTanui_) June 23, 2017
Companies like @SportPesa have greatly improved the conditions of our national teams. #ReconsiderBettingTax
— Prof_Ongeri (@Boncrazy1) June 23, 2017
#ReconsiderBettingTax A recent KRA report indicates that betting brought in over 4 billion shillings for the year 2016
— Antony Activist? (@ARongoei) June 23, 2017
The same presidential assent that signed 35% tax on betting firms has also costed us 10000 jobs #ReconsiderBettingTax
cc Ronald Karauri
— Charles Mwabili (@CMwabili) June 23, 2017