Africa

World Sports Bodies raise Concern Over Kenya Copyright Bill

Published

4 years ago

February 15, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Kenya’s 2019 Copyright Amendment Bill, incorporates principles from the WIPO Internet Treaties of 1996, aimed at preventing unauthorised access to and use of creative works

A coalition of global sports bodies has written an open letter to the Kenyan government, expressing concern about the Copyright Amendment Bill currently before parliament, and its potential impact on the availability of international sports content in Kenya.

The Sports Rights Owner Coalition (SROC) is an alliance of more than 50 international and national sport bodies, representing some of the world’s leading sport codes and competitions – including the English Premier League, the FA Cup, Wimbledon, MotoGP, and the Rugby World Cup.

In the recent letter, signed by Chairman Mark Lichtenstein, the SROC says its members are “extremely concerned” at changes that will be made to Kenya’s Copyright Act if the Copyright Amendment Bill becomes law.

The SROC is particularly worried about proposals to repeal sections 35B, 35C and 35D of the Copyright Act, which allow for take-down notices issued to internet-based service provider platforms which enable content piracy to flourish.

A take-down notice is a widely used remedy employed by copyright owners worldwide, compelling online platforms to rapidly remove content from their websites if it is suspected that the content infringes copyright.

The Kenya Copyright Board (KeCOBO) champion of the Partners Against Piracy (PAP) initiative, has come out in support of the SROC letter.

“Take-down notices are a critical tool for copyright holders and related rights holders to fight digital content piracy by controlling the distribution and economic viability of their work and how it is accessed online,” says Edward Sigei, KeCOBO Executive Director.

“Across the world, they help to safeguard the intellectual property rights of sports rights owners. If rights owners cannot request that pirated sports content is taken down immediately, that will threaten the future of live sports broadcasts in Kenya. Why would international sports media allow sports broadcasts in Kenya, if they have no way of stopping them from being pirated!”

Kenya’s 2019 Copyright Amendment Bill, incorporates principles from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Internet Treaties of 1996, aimed at preventing unauthorised access to and use of creative works. Takedown notices are among these principles and are necessary tools to enforce copyright protections for rights owners and distributors.

If the Amendment Bill is passed into law, Kenya will be out of step with global trends, the average Kenyan will lose out on great sports entertainment. A further negative consequence of this Amendment Bill passing would be the reputational and economic investment quagmire it would create is jeopardising Kenya’s ability to renew participation in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Agreement (AGOA) program, as one of the additional provisions of renewal requires a demonstrated commitment to copyright protection as a prerequisite to signing. Repealing section 35 of the Copyright Act, would do the exact opposite and threaten investor confidence.

The SROC points out that in Europe, policy makers are strengthening not weakening the effectiveness of take-down notices, particularly regarding live content. New proposals to protect live content more effectively in Europe are expected in the first half of 2022.

“Were the Copyright Amendment Bill to be enacted, it could have devastating consequences for both the Kenyan economy and Kenyan consumers,” says the SROC letter. “Rights holders from sport and other creative industries are extremely unlikely to license their content in a jurisdiction that effectively legitimises piracy. Consumers would therefore be deprived from watching their favourite sports and television shows, and leave Kenya isolated on the global copyright stage.”

The coalition – which includes the English FA, UEFA, the IAAF, and the International Tennis Federation – goes on to ask that the proposed new law be urgently reconsidered “so as not to harm Kenyan consumers and threaten the availability of sports and entertainment content in Kenya.”

Africa

Playson goes live with Betika in Kenya and Uganda

Published

11 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

playson-goes-live-with-betika-in-kenya-and-uganda

The supplier enters Kenya via Betika, with the rollout deployed through the Casimba (Markor) aggregation platform.

Playson has entered the Kenyan market after going live with Betika, making its online casino content available to players in Kenya and Uganda.

The rollout includes Playson titles Thunder Coins: Hold and Win, 4 Pots Riches: Hold and Win, and Coin Strike: Hold and Win. The integration was delivered via the Casimba (Markor) aggregation platform, according to the companies.

Conor Jenner, Senior Sales Manager at Playson, said: “Entering the Kenyan market is a major milestone for Playson, and doing so alongside a leading operator like Betika makes this step even more impactful. Betika’s strong market presence and deep understanding of its players provide an excellent foundation for our content to perform from day one.

We have carefully adapted our infrastructure to meet local regulatory standards and operator requirements, ensuring a smooth rollout and high-quality player experience. We are excited about the opportunities this market presents and look forward to expanding our presence across Africa.”

Peter Stagles, Group Chief Product Officer at Betika, added: “We are pleased to partner with Playson and bring their globally recognised portfolio to our players in Kenya and Uganda. At Betika, we are continuously enhancing our offering by working with best-in-class partners to deliver engaging, high-quality entertainment experiences tailored to our markets.”

The post Playson goes live with Betika in Kenya and Uganda appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

GoldenRace and Spinmatic mark five years with aggregation partner Playlogiq

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

goldenrace-and-spinmatic-mark-five-years-with-aggregation-partner-playlogiq

The companies point to growth in Africa, with East Africa cited as a standout market since the relationship began on January 7, 2021.

GoldenRace and Spinmatic say they have reached the five-year mark of their partnership with Playlogiq, dating the start of the relationship to January 7, 2021. The companies positioned the collaboration as focused on distributing GoldenRace Virtual Sports and Spinmatic casino content via Playlogiq’s platform.

In the announcement, the companies pointed to Africa as the main growth region for the partnership, with East Africa highlighted as a particularly strong market. They also said mobile and online channels have been central to traffic volumes and content performance.

“Our collaboration with Playlogiq has always been about more than just a business transaction; it is a very strong and productive relationship between two companies that share a drive for excellence. By offering our full suite of verticals, Playlogiq has proven to be a vital partner in our mission to dominate key markets in Africa.” Martin Wachter, GoldenRace CEO and Founder.

Playlogiq CEO Baha Yahya said Spinmatic’s content has been a top performer on its network, adding: “Working with GoldenRace and Spinmatic since 2021 has allowed us to consistently provide our operators with the most engaging content on the market. The traffic we see, particularly through mobile and online channels, is a testament to the quality of the games. We’ve seen Spinmatic become our most successful product line by far, with the Sizzling Blaze series generating incredible engagement across the board.”

The companies also said GoldenRace Virtual Sports remains part of Playlogiq’s ongoing offering, while Spinmatic’s slots have led results within the partnership. No financials, GGR figures, or operator-level performance data were disclosed.

The post GoldenRace and Spinmatic mark five years with aggregation partner Playlogiq appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

BC.GAME launches Nigeria site after securing Lagos betting and casino licence

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

bc.game-launches-nigeria-site-after-securing-lagos-betting-and-casino-licence

The operator goes live on bcbet.ng under a licence from the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority.

BC.GAME has launched in Nigeria after securing a sports betting and casino gambling licence from the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA). The operator is live on a new local domain, bcbet.ng.

The company said the Nigerian platform includes both sportsbook and casino products, and supports play in Nigerian Naira.

Nigeria is BC.GAME’s second regulated market launch, following the award of a Kenyan licence last year, according to the company.

BC.GAME CEO Kar Kheng Giam said: “User experience today is closely tied to clarity, consistency and transparency. As we expand into new regulated markets such as Nigeria, we are focused on making the platform easier to understand while continuing to improve how we communicate with our users.

“Nigeria is home to one of the most passionate sports fanbases in the world, with a strong culture around football and a rapidly growing interest in digital gaming. This launch allows us to bring those elements together in a market with significant long-term potential.”

Alongside the Nigeria launch, the company said it has updated navigation, support information, and communication around payments and account processes, and added more user guidance aimed at improving transparency. BC.GAME also said it holds a licence in Anjouan as part of a broader push into regulated markets.

The post BC.GAME launches Nigeria site after securing Lagos betting and casino licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.