Betting giant Betika is facing fresh scrutiny over its operating licence and links appearing in court evidence concerning the unlawful sharing of Safaricom subscribers’ personal information.
The company’s regulatory position has come under renewed attention following the September 24, 2026, expiry of existing gambling licences, even as questions surrounding its appearance in the Safaricom data scandal remain unresolved.
Betika, operated by Shop and Deliver Limited, continues displaying older licence numbers on its website, raising questions about its compliance with Kenya’s new gambling regulations.
Betika’s licence details raise fresh questions
The Gambling Regulatory Authority announced in August that existing licences would expire on September 24, requiring betting companies to obtain fresh approvals under the Gambling Control Act, 2025.
However, Betika’s website continues citing licence numbers BK-0001117 and PG-0001113, issued under the previous regulatory framework.
The disclosure has raised questions about whether Betika has secured fresh authorisation and why its publicly displayed licensing information still references the repealed legislation.
A fresh operating licence for Betika could not be independently verified from the public records reviewed.
Betika named in Safaricom data scandal
Betika’s troubles extend beyond licensing questions.
On May 13, 2026, High Court Judge Bahati Mwamuye delivered a judgment exposing the systematic compromise of Safaricom subscribers’ personal information between June 2018 and May 2019.
The court examined forensic communications referencing Betika and individuals identified as “the Mburus” among recipients mentioned in exchanges concerning subscriber information.
The compromised information included betting activity, financial transactions, device identifiers and location details.
Justice Mwamuye awarded 11 petitioners Sh900,000 each after finding that Safaricom had violated their constitutional rights.
However, Betika was not a party to the petition, and the court did not determine whether the company unlawfully acquired the information.
Betika faces regulatory investigation over subscriber data
On May 19, Benedict Kabugi Ndungu submitted a formal complaint seeking investigations into Betika’s connection to the compromised subscriber information.
The complaint asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Gambling Regulatory Authority to examine the company’s conduct and consider action against its operating licences.
In correspondence disclosed in August, the regulator confirmed that investigations into the betting operators identified in the complaint were ongoing.
The central question now concerns whether the regulator considered those outstanding matters when assessing Betika’s licensing suitability.
Betika’s past payout disputes return to spotlight
Betika’s handling of customers’ winnings has also attracted judicial scrutiny.
In 2023, a Nakuru court ordered the company to pay David Juma Sh500,000 after determining that he had correctly predicted eight football matches.
Separately, Claire Nyabayo pursued nearly Sh100 million in winnings displayed through Betika’s Magic Numbers game.
Betika maintained that a system error caused the unusually high figure. The High Court upheld the Sh1 million contractual payout limit.
These cases, alongside the data investigation and licensing questions, place Betika’s regulatory accountability under scrutiny.
The unresolved issue is whether Betika has satisfied all requirements for continued operations under Kenya’s new gambling laws.
