SportPesa Trademark Dispute Exposes Cracks in Kenya’s Gaming Industry

The long-running battle over the SportPesa trademark has resurfaced, shining a spotlight on deeper governance and regulatory gaps in Kenya’s multi-billion-shilling gaming industry.

The dispute, currently before the Office of the Registrar of Trademarks, pits Paul Wanderi Ndung’u, a 17 percent shareholder in Pevans East Africa, against UK-based SportPesa Global Holdings Limited (SPGHL) and Milestone Games. Ndung’u alleges that the 2020 transfer of the trademark, valued at £100,000 (Sh17.3 million) per mark, was riddled with fraud, forgery, and deliberate tax evasion.

At the heart of the case are questions about the validity of the transfer documents. A deed of assignment dated September 1, 2020, is missing, stamp duty on the deal was allegedly never paid, and approvals at the Registrar’s office are said to have been irregular. Ndung’u also points out that SPGHL was not locally registered, raising concerns about its legal standing in Kenya.

More troubling, Ndung’u argues, is that the £200,000 transaction never appeared in SPGHL’s financial statements, casting doubt on whether the transfer was genuine or a paper arrangement to shift ownership.

Beyond the shareholder row, the case underscores broader risks in Kenya’s gaming sector, where intellectual property rights, taxation, and compliance often collide with billions of shillings at stake. Analysts say the outcome could set a precedent for how Kenya handles intellectual property disputes in high-value industries.

Ndung’u, supported by fellow shareholder Asenath Wachera, faces off against SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri, now aligned with Milestone. For regulators and investors alike, the decision will be closely watched, not just to determine who controls SportPesa, but to test the strength of Kenya’s intellectual property and corporate governance frameworks.