Intralot enters Kenyan gaming market

ALOT Group announces its 10-year cooperation with Acumen Communications Limited (ACL) to organize sports betting in Kenya, under the brand name ‘mCHEZA’. ACL is a local company authorized and regulated by the Betting Control and Licencing Board of Kenya under the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act. ‘mCHEZA’ was launched on Friday, December 18th, 2015 and is initially available on mobile phones, while additional products and services will be offered soon. ACL and INTRALOT are also partnering with Safaricom, the leading telecom operator in the region, through m-payment platform MPESA, data center and cloud services.

The new product ʽmCHEZAʼ, is deployed on INTRALOTʼs flagship sports betting platform, iFlex. It is an intuitive, multi-channel sports betting platform, which focuses on providing a complete betting management solution through a user-friendly environment. The overall solution will include a Mobile Native Application, which will be supported by iGC (iGaming Console), as well Player Account Management (PAM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions together with INTRALOTʼs Horizon system.

During a press conference, held in Nairobi, where the two companies announced the launch of the operation, ‘mCHEZA’ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Karimi, noted: “We are very excited to launch ‘mCHEZA’, which will initially be a pre-game betting platform. Numerous sports, markets and betting modes will be incorporated on the platform in the first Quarter of 2016 with live betting to follow thereafter. The platform is working on a strategic expansion plan into other East African markets from 2016.”

INTRALOT Group Vice-President Business Development, Europe and Africa, Mr. Antonis Markopoulos, added: “Our investment in Kenya comes just a few months after our project in Nigeria, ratifying our dedication to further penetrate to the African continent. Today’s partnership with Acumen and Safaricom through the MPESA platform guarantees a reliable, secure and eventually successful operation in the country. INTRALOT’s iFlex platform will efficiently implement our expert know-how and offer to the Kenyan players a fully personalised, unique and entertaining game experience, while enhancing the principles of responsible gaming countrywide. Kenya sets the basis of the expansion of our presence in East Africa.”

ACL Director, Ms. Julie Gichuru, noted: “Over and above being fun, ‘mCHEZA’ is nurturing local talent by identifying and sponsoring local sports initiatives that try to uplift the living standards of the marginalized through sport. We are also pleased that this partnership with INTRALOT will build credibility among our customers by holding high standards in gaming.”

Kenya has 45 million inhabitants, while mobile penetration in the country exceeds 85%, according to the Communication Authority of Kenya.