Betting firm Milestone Games Ltd trading as Sport Pesa has lost a bid to be enjoined as interested party in case where Consumer Federation of Kenya is in court over the Speed Dial” feature on various internet browsers used to advertise betting, lottery and gaming activities.
The court ruled that Milestone Games Limited has not proved a legal stake to entitle it participate in the proceedings and thus lacks capacity to set aside the consent order.
“It is a stranger to the dispute. Its application to set aside the consent lacks merit,The upshot is that the application dated January 18,2024 by Molestone is hereby dismissed in its entirety with costs,”court ruled.
Milestone Games wanted to be enjoined in the case saying that the motive behind the Petition by COFEK is the advancement of its competitor’s interest, not the protection of the young people as pleaded in court papers.
Milestone had also made an application seeking to set aside a consent between the Board and COFEK settling only one of the contentious issues raised in the petition that all gaming operators cease the use of speed dial feature forthwith be set aside
However, COFEK had opposed the application saying that the company wrote to Betting Control and Licensing Board on August 16 2023 declaring that they would not comply with its directive in relation to the speed dial feature.
It noted that the company was not intent on complying with the directive and seeks joinder so as to continue in the same trajectory.
The board issued a circular banning the use of speed dial on all internet browsers. This directive was aimed at protecting minors and vulnerable persons from its harmful effects which include addictive gambling.
