Leading sports betting company SportPesa has received the prestigious Superbrands status, barely three years after its formal launch.

The fast-rising company which provides leisure services; that is online and mobile phone-based betting on sports matches and events, is the dominant player in the nascent sports betting industry in Kenya.

Receiving the Superbrands certificate from Superbrands East Africa’s project director Jawad Jaffer, SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri thanked his employees for the hard work that has propelled the company to the prestigious club in business.

“A great brand is built by its people and I am sincerely thankful for such a hardworking and great team. I am humbled, honoured and proud to be a member of this formidable team. Let us ensure that we not only remain one of the top brands in the region but that we are also recognized for great and positive transformations in the society,” said Karauri.

He added: “The story of SportPesa is a long journey dating years back. People see the brand now and think it is by sheer luck that we are where we are but those who are familiar with the company’s history will tell you that it has been about sacrifices and patience. Success is not a coincidence.”

SportPesa was ranked 13th in the survey of top brands in Kenya, beating even long-established local and international brands such as Tuskys, Brookside, Google and Facebook among others. It was the first time SportPesa was featuring in the ranking which is done after survey of thousands of brands locally and in the region.

The survey is done by marketing experts and over 1,000 Kenyan consumers on behalf of Superbrands East Africa, in a process which is managed by London-based firm The Centre for Brand Analysis.

Companies are not allowed to nominate their brands but rather a team of researchers identify the top brands after comprehensive survey of various industries.

“The fact that we have not nominated ourselves but rather recognized by marketing gurus shows that someone is noticing our efforts and that is a big plus for us,” added Karauri.

Releasing the list of names of the 2017 Superbrands last month, The Centre for Brand Analysis CEO Stephen Cheliotis said a lot of local brands were consolidating to maintain their top spots among the brand elite, noting that this year’s ranking was well balanced.

“The top 20 overall is a balanced blend of global brands, such as Coca-Cola and Dettol, and local brands, such as Nakumatt, Tuskys and fast growing betting brand SportsPesa,” said Cheliotis.

About SportPesa

SportPesa is Africa’s no. 1 sports betting platform and Official sponsor of the SportPesa Premier League in Kenya. We provide mobile and online platforms for sports betting. Our plan is to make a significant presence in the continent in the next few years in line with our mission which is: to act with total integrity and social responsibility to the benefit of the community while reaching our revenue and profit targets through offering excellent service. For more information, visit www.sportpesa.com

About Superbrands

Superbrands is the world’s largest independent arbiter of branding. It identifies and pays tribute to exceptional brands by recognising, rewarding and reinforcing leading brands from all over the world. The organisation runs the Superbrands award schemes and promotional programmes, each with a brand focused publication at its core. Superbrand status strengthens a brand’s position, adds prestige and sets the brand apart from its competitors.

Superbrands has launched programmes in over 88 countries including all the key global markets. These programmes aim to identify those brands that are performing above and beyond others within the market.