Swedish Betting firm enters Kenyan market

By Brian Cullingworth, Last updated Mar 8, 2021

20 January 2017

SpiffX partners with local firm Cheza Gaming

Swedish mobile sports betting firm SpiffX intends to leverage the booming mobile-based sports betting business in Kenya and has partnered with local company Cheza Gaming to enter the market.

Lennart Gillberg co-founder and sales manager of SpiffX, said in a press statement this week that the partnership with Cheza presented an opportunity to enter the Kenyan market, adding:

“The market in African countries is primarily driven by mobile and lower stakes in each session.Today, there are not many European companies established in Africa but many are looking with great interest at the region’s growth potential.”

SpiffX is eyeing a mobile-oriented sports betting market that could also span Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Cheza Gaming is a regional sports betting and gaming operator, and will launch SpiffX’s Take5live betting website locally in the coming months, the firm said.

The locally licensed Cheza and its rivals have an advantage at present following a Betting Control and Licensing Board decision recently to suspend the issue of new permits to avoid an overcrowded market.

Sports gambling platforms presently in Kenya include Betway and other players such as EliteBet, Betin, JustBet, Bet365, BetYetu, eazibet, Lucky2u, 256Bet, Royal Kenya Bets and go-bet.

Cheza services are currently provided on the Safaricom network by a third party, and allow customers to download and play games at a subscription fee of Sh10 per day, according to local media reports.

“We are always looking for new and suitable products to engage our customers and to distinguish ourselves from our competitors,” said Cheza CEO Barney Barrow. “We are very pleased to cooperate with SpiffX and look forward to rolling out their products in the markets where we operate”.

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