New Player-vs-Player Format Arrives in Kenya

The Kenyan online gaming market, one of Africa's most dynamic, saw the introduction of a novel betting product this month. SportPesa, a major player in the region, launched 'Sky Control' on Thursday, November 6, 2025, a game it markets as the world's first Player-vs-Player (PvP) crash game. Developed in partnership with gaming studio SkyControl, the game deviates from the standard format where players bet against the house. Instead, 'Sky Control' pits players against each other in real-time, with the last participant to cash out before the game 'crashes' winning the accumulated pot from other players' stakes. This launch introduces a skill and psychology-based element to a genre traditionally dominated by random chance. Andrei Buta, Co-Founder of SkyControl, stated that the game merges "strategy, psychology, and social play into a single experience."

A Booming Market Under a Watchful Eye

SportPesa's innovation arrives at a critical time for Kenya's betting industry. According to a 2025 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Kenya's gaming market generated US$153 million (approx. KSh 21.4 billion) in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% through 2029. This growth is largely fuelled by high mobile penetration and the seamless integration of mobile money platforms. However, this rapid expansion has not gone unnoticed by regulators. In March 2025, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) issued stringent new directives for all crash and aviator-style games, citing a "public outcry" over their proliferation and addictive nature. The regulations, effective from March 25, 2025, mandate that all such games must be submitted for review to ensure fairness, their algorithms must be certified by independent auditors, and they cannot be offered as standalone applications. It remains to be seen how the BCLB will classify a PvP, skill-influenced game like 'Sky Control' under these new rules. As of Thursday, November 13, 2025, the BCLB has not issued a public statement specifically concerning the 'Sky Control' game.

Is It Truly a World First?

While marketed as a first, the concept of social interaction in crash games is not new. The genre's origins trace back to 2014 with a game called 'MoneyPot', created by developer Eric Springer. These early crypto-based games were designed as "social gambling games," often featuring chat functions and leaderboards that allowed players to see each other's bets and wins in real-time. Mainstream titles like 'Aviator' by Spribe, which launched in 2019, further popularized these communal features. The key distinction with 'Sky Control' is the direct competitive mechanic where players win from each other's losses rather than from a central operator, a model that more closely resembles poker than a traditional slot machine or crash game. This shift towards a peer-to-peer transactional model within a high-speed betting format is the innovative step SportPesa is introducing to the Kenyan and global markets.

Social and Economic Implications for Kenya

The launch of more engaging and potentially more addictive gaming formats raises significant social concerns in Kenya. In April 2025, the Ministry of Health acknowledged a crisis of online gambling addiction among youth, leading to financial distress and severe mental health issues, including suicide. The government subsequently formed a Rapid Response Team to establish helplines and deploy counselors to educational institutions. Proponents of the gaming industry point to its economic contributions, including significant tax revenues and employment. SportPesa itself has been a major sponsor of Kenyan sports, including a recent KSh 84.15 million partnership with the Kenya Rugby Union for the 2024-2026 seasons. The company also runs corporate social responsibility initiatives like 'Tujiamini', which funds grassroots sports talent. However, critics argue these benefits are outweighed by the societal costs of problem gambling, which disproportionately affects unemployed youth who see it as a potential escape from economic hardship. The introduction of a game that emphasizes outlasting and defeating fellow players adds a new psychological layer, the full impact of which is yet to be studied. As the digital betting landscape in Kenya continues to evolve, the challenge for regulators, operators, and the public will be to balance economic opportunities with the urgent need for robust consumer protection and responsible gaming frameworks.