Ronald Karauri, the CEO of SportPesa and a Member of Parliament for Kasarani, has a fascinating story about how his love for poker helped him revolutionize sports betting in Kenya. In a recent conversation with pilot Eric Mutiso, Karauri opened up about how his journey began and the risks he took along the way.
Karauri first discovered his passion for poker by watching tournaments on ESPN. “I became a gambler. I still play poker to this day,” he shared.
Poker, he found, taught him a lot about people and how they make decisions. “The beauty of poker is that you can quickly figure out someone’s character by how they play,” he explained.
These insights proved valuable when he later met business partners through the game.
His leap into the sports betting world was almost accidental.
A friend mentioned an idea to start a betting company, and Karauri jumped at the opportunity.
“I got interested and said I would be part of it. That’s how it all started,” he recalls.
To fund this venture, Karauri made a bold move—he sold a piece of land for Sh25 million.
“It was a big conversation with my family, but it all came down to trust,” he added, emphasizing how important family support was throughout his journey.
Ronald Karauri on Sportpesa Innovation
One of SportPesa’s most significant innovations was introducing SMS betting, a concept that had never been tried before.
“When we introduced SMS betting, it had never happened anywhere in the world,” Karauri pointed out.
This made betting more accessible, especially for people without smartphones or internet access.
For a while, Karauri managed to juggle his job as a pilot with his involvement in SportPesa.
“I was not involved in the daily operations, I just got updates,” he said.
But as the company grew, his partners pushed him to take a more active role. And after some reflection, he decided to leave his flying career behind.
“I realized I needed to be fully present,” he explained, knowing that leading the fast-paced betting company required hands-on involvement.
Today, SportPesa is a massive success, generating over Sh12.5 billion in its first five years.
By Vivian K.