Milestones Games limited has moved to the High court seeking to have the decision by the Betting and Licensing Controls Board barring it from operating under Sportpesa name in Kenya quashed. In an application, Milestones Games Limited sought to have the decision made on 30th October by the Licensing Board prohibiting it from using Sportpesa name as well as the suspension of its operating license quashed.
“Applicant be granted leave to apply for an order of Certiorari to move into this Court for purposes of being quashed, a decision of the Respondent to prohibit the Applicant from using the name ‘Sportpesa’,” part of the application reads.
Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya certified the matter urgent and allowed Milestones Games Limited to proceed to apply for the order seeking to have the decision by the Licensing Board quashed.
“Applicant is granted leave to apply for an order of prohibition to prohibit the implementation of the decision of the Respondent barring the Applicant from using the name ‘Sportpesa’,” the Court ordered.
Milestones Games Limited was also allowed to apply for the order of prohibition to prohibit the implementation of the decision by the Licensing Board to suspend its License. The Licensing Board barred Milestones Games Limited from using the ‘Sportpesa’ name citing violation of regulatory protocols by using the name despite seeking approval from the agency as Milestone Bet.
In a letter addressed to Milestones Games on 30th October, BLCB stated that the betting company had chosen to rebrand to Sportpesa after approval to operate in the country without getting consent from the betting control agency. The betting Company was thereafter prohibited from various domains under Sportpesa including paybills and shortcodes. The BCLB chair Maina said the tradename Sportpesa belongs to Pevans East Africa Limited, and therefore that name is not transferrable.
