Mozzartbet receives license from BCLB

The Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has renewed the license of Mozzartbet barely a week after the betting firm was cleared by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

In a letter sent to the betting firm which was seen by Business Today, the board said that Mozzartbet earned their licenses back after they fulfilled Board’s requirements for renewal of Bookmakers license. BCLB came to the decision after having held a meeting on Wednesday 12^th June when they approved the renewal of Mozzartbet’s Bookmakers license for the 2019/20 financial year.

Earlier this week, KRA cleared 10 betting firms of tax fraud, Mozzart was among them. The other firms that were cleared by the taxman include Betway, OdiBets, Ken Bookmakers, Lucky 2 U, Eazi Bet, Kick off, Eastleighbet, Pals Bet and Bet boss. The remaining 9 firms are still waiting for BCLB to renew their licenses before they resume normal business.

Leading betting companies Sportpesa and Betin are both yet to be cleared by KRA, before they start anticipating for having their licenses renewed. The two are the betting firms with the highest amount of gamblers in the country. The high number of Sportpesa and Betin loyalists are eagerly waiting for the sites to be permitted to conduct their business in the country once again.

[Read: Shocking billions SportPesa squeezes from poor Kenyans]

Mozzartbet now joins Betika as the only betting firms in the country who have been licensed to operate by BCLB. Betting traffic is assumed to be migrating to these two now that other betting firms are not operational. Gambling addicts who cannot afford to stay loyal with one site have been using Betika ever since the pay bill numbers of the remaining 27 betting companies were withdrawn.

Mozzartbet have confirmed that they have indeed paid the fee needed to acquire a new license. They were required to pay Sh 100,000 to BCLB before they get their license. They were also required to submit a sealed Bank Guarantee of Sh 250,000 valid for 12 months. They confirmed that they had received their license in a press statement seen by Business Today.

“We are pleased to inform you that Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has renewed Mozzartbet Kenya Limited’s Bookmakers License for the 2019/2020 financial year. Our operations have now been fully restored. We thank you for your continued support,” the statement dated 25^th July reads in part.

[See also: Low-profile Kenyan billionaires who own SportPesa]