SportPesa Sends Strong Hint of Coming Back to kenya market

SportPesa has reportedly revoked termination letters given to employees at the beginning of October.
SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri said yesterday that the sports betting firm withdrew the letters

All staff fired early last month have been asked to report to the firm’s offices at Chancery Building along Valley Road today, Friday 1st November, according to reports.

The communication was sent out by the company’s head of human resources  Terry Wanja Njagi through email on Thursday asking them to report to work.

The letter’s main message is “withdrawal of termination notices dated 2nd October 2019.”  She indicated the company will communicate the next steps during today’s meeting.

The communication has caused both excitement and confusion among former employees and betting fans. Some interpreted it as signs of SportPesa’s comeback into the market, while it could well be a safety measure for the company to comply with labour laws.
On October 2, the firm sent home 362 employees after announcing it had halted operations in Kenya due to tough regulations, including higher taxation and tough advertising guidelines.


SportPesa exit impact

The closure of the betting company, alongside its rival Betin, send shockwaves in the sports and media industries. The company stopped sponsorships to clubs and the Kenya Premier League, which are already facing financial problems.

The exit has also dented advertising revenues for media houses and some, such as Mediamax Network Ltd, have started restructuring due to reduced revenues.

Other betting companies will to comply with tough government regulations and sock in the higher taxation have had their licences renewed and are still operational. There has also been a proliferation of online betting operators in Kenya to fill in the Vacuum Left by Sportpesa Giant footsteps.

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