ADDIS ABABA – All Sports Betting Firms and Ethiopian National lottery Administration disclosed that they have carried out activities that enhance the awareness of the public about sports betting.
Briefing journalists on the betting games yesterday, Sports Betting Companies Committee Coordinator Mikeal Demisew said due to lack of awareness, the societies have the wrong attitude towards sports betting. “Many assume the game as a kind of gambling.”
He, however, said these companies are fulfilling their responsibilities paying the taxes and employing new graduates apart from strictly abiding rules and regulations of the country.
According to the Committee Coordinator, Sports Betting is common in developed countries especially citizens who have special knowledge of the game.
“Sports betting is like a lottery; you pay less and obtain a lot. In other words, such companies are helping sports to develop and expand providing material supports and building stadiums. But, the game needs legal procedure, responsibility and the like.”
He also stated the companies are paying 15 percent of the tax to government from each selling item and 20 percent is allocated to civil societies that from all yearly total selling.
For his part Ethiopian National Lottery Administration Law expert Amha Kefelgne said the administration has various mandates like offering different lottery services, forming a linkage with other stakeholders to scale up technology transformation, knowledge, management and granting licensees.
Due to a proclamation number 543/2007, Sports Betting is the type of sports. Amha further noted that sports lottery takes place within the home and outside home as per sports competition.
The winner of such games would take money as a reward or receive a reward in kind. However, the game is being taken place in many areas with the absence of the legal frame.
To legalize the game, Ethiopia has enacted new regulations in 2013. But it does not mean that all companies are operating under the law because some companies have been closed off since they breached the law.
As to Amha, the country has close to 64 betting companies which located Addis Ababa and large towns in different states like Bahir Dar and Mekele. Out of the total companies, 30 of them are in pipeline to launch such services and 14 of them have already begun preparations.
The Ethiopian Herald January 14, 2020
BY MESERET BEHAILU
