Betika, a well-known betting company, is now facing a potential lawsuit as a result of its claimed inability to pay out winnings to a loyal customer, Nelson Kipkogei Melly.
Okinyo and corporation Advocates sent a severe letter of demand to Betika’s managing director, accusing the corporation of withholding Sh477,590 (four hundred and seventy-seven thousand, five hundred and ninety) in prizes.
Melly, a Betika regular, placed a virtual bet with a stake of Sh113,712 on October 16, 2023, at 5:46 a.m., according to the demand letter.
Melly won the potential winning sum of Sh477,590, according to records in the legal firm’s possession.
However, Betika is accused of refusing to honor the win and, more importantly, of gaining unauthorized access to Melly’s account and using it to place bets on other teams in order to justify the withholding of the winning money.
“You have refused and continues to refuse to pay our client his bet amount won of Ksh 477,590/= (four hundred and seventy-seven thousand, five hundred and ninety),” the demand letter read.
“You have gone ahead accessed and illegally used our clients account to bet for other teams to justify the loss of the amount won.”
The legal firm representing Melly has brought this matter to the attention of both the Data Protection Agency and the Betting Control and Licensing Board.
In the strongly worded letter, Okinyo and Company Advocates assert, “Our mandatory instructions are to demand from you, which we hereby do, your admission of liability within the next one day from the date hereof after which we shall amicably address the issue of damages payable to our client.”
Furthermore, the firm issued a stern warning to Betika and threatened legal proceedings against the betting firm should it fail to respond appropriately.
“Take notice that unless we receive your written admission of liability within the next one day from the date herein, we have mandatory instructions to institute legal proceedings against you for recovery to protect our client’s interest at your own risk to the sequel costs,” the letter read.
The potential legal action has sent shockwaves through the betting industry and raised questions about the accountability and integrity of such companies.
The Betting Control and Licensing Board, as well as the Data Protection Agency, are closely monitoring the situation.
As the one-day deadline approaches, the spotlight is on Betika to respond to the demands made by Melly’s legal representatives.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the betting industry in Kenya and beyond.
