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Bundesliga throws betting firm lifeline

betika

A Betika jackpot winner. POOL PHOTO | NMG

Sports gaming firm Betika has resumed full operations after Germany’s Bundesliga national soccer league reopened at the weekend.

Public relations manager Kate Arudo said the industry had been adversely affected by the postponement of popular European leagues where Kenyans bet via mobile money accounts.

“We hope that as the games slowly start we will soon offer more options to our loyal punters. Our business has been affected like all other businesses around the world,” she said.

The German football league confirmed Bundesliga resumption on May 16 after getting government approval but under strict conditions that do not allow fans to attend matches.

Bundesliga is the first league among Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues — Premier League (UK), La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy) and Ligue 1 (France) to resume amid the Covid-19 outbreak that halted all sporting activities.

Speaking after Betika presented Sh6 million to the private sector-led Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund, Ms Arudo said it had been running virtual games and casino games on their online platform.