One of the leading betting firms in Kenya, Betin Kenya, has sued telco giant Safaricom after its SMS short codes and pay bill numbers were deactivated.
This comes after the closure of the firms payment channels were effected after the government, through Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), ordered Safaricom to suspend M-Pesa payment systems and SMS codes of all the non-tax compliant gambling entities starting July 12.
The firm now wants Safaricom ordered to lift the suspension on the payment systems and direct the telco to unblock its M-Pesa pay bills and SMS shortcodes.
Betin Kenya is among 26 other betting firms, including SportPesa, whose payment systems were suspended because their operating licences for the year starting July 1 were not renewed.
Betin Kenya would like to express its disappointment in the recent actions taken by BCLB with the respect to blocking of our payment systems and would like assure all customers that there deposits are safe. pic.twitter.com/LcO6rQWEmR
— Betin (@BetinKenya) July 13, 2019
The two firms say the July 12 switch-off of their M-Pesa pay bills and SMS short codes are illegal because they both have court orders allowing them to continue operating despite being denied licences by the State.
“The interested party (Safaricom) be directed to unblock the applicant’s pay bill account numbers 997270 and 244449, which it disabled on July 12,” said Betin Kenya.
The firm wants Safaricom to stop honouring directives from the BCLB.
“The interested party be directed to refrain from giving effect to or acting on any directive by the respondent (BCLB) in relation to the applicants pay bill account numbers pending the hearing and determination of this application,” part of the petition reads.
Last week, SportPesa sued the government seeking compensation for the financials losses incurred during the period that their accounts were frozen.
CEO's Official Statement
We are committed to our customers and we are working tirelessly to ensure our services are restored. We will continue to update you as information becomes available. #SportPesa #MakeItCount pic.twitter.com/nguHteHc8m
— SportPesa (@SportPesa) July 14, 2019