NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

By Anthony Wanjiru

The grey weather had not dampened the mood at the Mozzart Betting Shop in Westlands, Nairobi.

The punters continue to loudly place their wagers in the betting store, which is one of the many that dot Kenya’s capital.

This is where I meet Ken Karanja, 29, who best embodies the gambling culture beguiling many young people in the city.

He lives in Rwaka, a cosmopolitan area about 15km (nine miles) north-west of Nairobi, and makes 3,000 Kenyan shillings (£22; £30) a day as a truck driver – money which he often gambles away.

“I am a betting addict. I bet 100 Kenyan shillings a day and 1,000 to 1,500 Kenyan shillings during weekends,” he says.