Tag: betika news

Unmatched Thrills and Rewards on Betika.com App on Play Store!

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

Betika, the leading gaming firm in Kenya has rolled out an exciting promotion that will see punters win hefty Bonuses and Free Data with each App download from the Google Play Store.

The Betika App promotion is set to run from 27th June to 30th July 2023. The new user-friendly version of their App on the Google Play Store is loaded with goodies like free data and free bets.

Wekelea bet ya 50 Bob and above na tutaku top-up FREE DATA ya 250 MB na FREE BET ya up to KES 200 bob pap!

How Does the Betika App Promotion Work?

The Betika App Promotion is quite simple to participate. To be eligible, all you need is to meet the following criteria:

  • Download and install the Betika Android App. The app is available at Play Store.
  • Click here to download Betika App.
  • Place a cash bet of at least KES 50/- with a minimum odd of 2.99 as the first cash bet of the day. This is the Qualifying Bet.
  • The customers will upon placing their Qualifying Bet, be eligible to get a free bet, equal to their stake amount capped up to Ksh200

Betika, Kenya’s leading betting firm became the first company in the industry to have their app officially listed on the Google Play Store. The app comes with a load of advantages.

Once a customer has successfully installed the app, they will immediately access gaming services without using their data bundles thanks to Betika’s Bet Bila Bundles offer.

In addition to free browsing, customers also get to withdraw their winnings for free when they win on the Betika App. That is very unique to this betting partner.

This App being listed on the Play Store illustrates the company’s initiative in building the most advanced gaming platform experience for its punters.

Betika Launches the First Kenyan Sports Betting App in the Play Store

Posted on by Baba Ghafla

The availability of online betting applications till very recently, was limited to just the enthusiasts who were willing to go through the many steps to sideload apps. But the industry will soon receive a major shot in the arm. Betika is going to be the first ever Kenyan sports betting app to be available on the Play Store. This app can be found by clicking HERE.

 

Once you download the app, browsing it is free thanks to the Betika bila bundles offer. During the football off season, Betika members can still win millions daily on the Betika Aviator Cashout. This is a crash game where you can win instantly just with the right timing. This Aviator game is currently the big trend in Kenya, check it out so that you’re not left behind. Withdrawals of your winnings are also free of charge.

 

 

This app holds multiple implications for the future of the industry.

 

According to the Play Store’s policy on real money gaming:

 

“We only allow betting apps that enable or facilitate online gambling in select countries, as long as the Developer completes the application process for gambling apps being distributed on Google Play, is an approved governmental operator and/or is registered as a licensed operator with the appropriate governmental gambling authority in the specified country, and provides a valid operating license in the specified country for the type of online gambling product they want to offer.”

 

Since Betika is the only app in Kenya to have managed to complete this process, it goes to reassure punters that Betika is 100% legit and that your money is in safe hands with them.

 

The move by Google is a first step in a direction that benefits the real money gaming industry in Kenya. The sector gets bolstered in creating an entertainment space, meanwhile also generating employment for local app developers at the same time. 

 

This has the chance to bridge the current gap of regulatory mechanisms, as apps on the Play Store are subject to terms and conditions, in compliance with local laws and regulations. With a structured approach to the launch, Betika will use the data from the Play Store to ensure that legal requirements to operate are fulfilled, such a cap on participants being over 18 years of age, and operation only in countries where online gaming is not prohibited by state law. Betika will also be tasked with providing redressal mechanisms and customer support. Such measures seem like a step towards the industry aligning with the targets that the BCLB is seeking to put in place. It makes for an optimum medium for the government, the industry as well as consumer protection for the end user.

5 lucky winners grab Betika’s 15 million Midweek Jackpot

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

Josiah Manyara, James Kipyegon, Stephen Angayia, James Chirchir and Francis Ebei are the latest winners of the Betikas Kshs. 15 million Midweek Jackpot.

They join a long list of Betika winners after correctly predicting 15 games with Kshs.15 stake to take home the Kshs.15 million Midweek Jackpot grand prize.

One of the winners, Stephen Angayia, had two winning bets, bringing the total number of winning tickets to 6.

By virtual of Jackpots being a shared prize by nature, the winners would have taken home Ksh 2.5 Million each but to their surprise, the top betting firm decided to boost their winnings with an extra Ksh 6 Million. This meant that the winners would share Ksh 21 Million instead of 15 Million, giving each a gross winning of Ksh 3.5 Million.

Stephen, who had two winning tickets got Ksh 7 Million. Stephen Angayia, a die-hard football fan, admitted to watching football matches from as far as Kazakhstan.

“I love football, I watch most of the matches from around the world. I have won bonuses
several times and I knew that sooner or later I would get my big win. I’m happy about this win. To be honest, I placed over 30 bets with different combinations on my two numbers but because the midweek Jackpot is very affordable, my total spend was less than Kshs 500. This is what I like about Betika, unlike
other sites, they are affordable, they have no minimum bet amount, and the platform is so user friendly,” said Stephen.

Stephen placed multiple bets using his two phone numbers and his two-winning bet-slips landed him a whooping 7m Shillings.

“During my free time, I would select different combinations which I believe is the secret to winning. I don’t stop at 2 combinations, I stop at at least 10 after placing as many combinations as possible,” said Stephen to the other four Midweek Jackpot winners.

Stephen will be spending part of his winnings to enroll himself into university to pursue a degree in civil engineering.

“Betika has changed my life, I had sold part of my land last year to keep my family afloat. It’s not easy out here and my family was depending on me. We survived this far by the grace of God but now I’m going to reclaim back my land. My Kids will go to school, I will open a business for my wife, and I will expand my business,” remarked Mr. James Chirchir a farmer in Kericho.

Josiah Manyara a tailor in Nyamira and James Kipyegon a businessman in Ngong plan on securing their family’s future by expanding their businesses and saving for rainy days.

Speaking during the hand over, Betika’s Senior Product Manager, Kent Kagicha expressed his delight at the new millionaires in town.

“Gaming is entertaining and all about precision. Josiah Manyara, James Kipyegon, Stephen Angayia, James Chirchir and Francis Ebei not only win Kshs.15 million, Betika has
boosted their winnings with an extra one million shilling each bringing the total win to Kshs. 21 million.

The winners will also benefit from partnership with a credible Financial Advisory firm to offer them both financial and legal advice on prudent use of their winnings.

Our Jackpots are very affordable and as Stephen says, you can place up to 30 bets on the Midweek Jackpot with less than 500 Shillings giving you a higher chance of taking home millions of shillings.

We encourage all our customers to engage in
responsible gaming as they continue enjoying the sports they love’’.

Betika’s midweek jackpot also offers attractive bonuses for punters who get between 12-14 correct game predictions.

Will the Euro 2020 Final on Sunday be England’s 7th successive loss against Italy?

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

The Italian talisman Spinazzola is a huge factor in the Italy-England clash in the Euro 2020 finals.

With Spinazzola present, England would very much be the underdogs. Without him, Italy looked weaker – so much that an un-fancied Spain side rode them bare back all the way to the stops, and beyond.

England won’t get to enjoy the home advantage, like they did in the semis’. They’ll feel the pressure of expectation on them.

Pickford especially, while imperious at times, sometimes wobbles under pressure – as often happens when in action for his Everton side.

The Italians will most certainly target him to exploit that possibility, as they may have learnt from the Danes.

The game is hard to accurately call in right away, though.

Italy boasts a better balance in the squad on the pitch.

While England is capable of explosive pace and a good natural finisher in Harry Kane, that doesn’t count much for a solid Italian defence.

How it swings, mostly depends on who can ride the pressure and settles in to playing their game first.

Oh, England has failed to beat Italy in their last six encounters at major tournaments.

Betika.com kind of balances out the odds, with an head to head slots reading at 3.10 for an Italy Win, while an England Win runs at 2.65.

It’s possible for a full time draw, and the odds are at 3.10.

This match up has some interesting statistics:

Italy are undefeated in their last 18 matches (European Championship).

England are undefeated in their last 9 matches (European Championship).

There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 5 of England’s last 6 games (European Championship).

Betika.com offers players on the platform an incredible array of goodies, ranging from extra bonuses even after sign up, betting bila bundles on the site, and the unique Bingwa Bonus Boost that doubles and triples the winnings.

Plus, of course, the Cash Out feature.

Log into Betika.com to become a winner!

Ukraine seeks to shed off the underdog tag as they meet with England on Saturday Night

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

If England strongly underestimates Ukraine (at least it seems so), Ukraine still has a real chance. But, to admit, everything depends on England.

England beat Germany 2-0 on Tuesday night to reach the quarter-finals, while Ukraine required extra-time to eliminate Sweden.

This is England’s first game of Euro 2020 away from Wembley and it’s curious how they handle that little discomfort.

Ukraine were already the underdogs heading into Saturday’s game and those extra minutes played against Sweden would have done them no favours.

This is the first meeting between the two sides since 2013 when both played out a 0-0 draw.

The last four encounters have all seen under 2.5 goals.

Against Germany, Gareth Southgate experimented with a back three for the first time this year in which they trumped them 2-0 win.

For Ukraine, most likely he may well revert to a back four.

Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips may also miss out against Ukraine, for any booking they may rack up means they lose the semis, if England wins this match.

Artem Besedin is out for six months with a knee injury suffered in Ukraine’s extra-time triumph over Sweden.

Ukraine will desperately hope to have Andriy Yarmolenko available after he limped off against Sweden on Tuesday night.

Ukraine switched to a back three against Sweden and will more than likely persist with that system here.

Betika.com offers a great array of staking options. Head to head wins, Over 2.5, Both To Score (GG), et al.

Here’s some interesting inputs to make that decision:

England have kept a clean sheet in their last 7 matches (European Championship).

England have won 6 of their last 7 matches (European Championship).

Ukraine have seen under 2.5 goals in their last 4 matches against England in all competitions.

There have been under 2.5 goals scored in England’s last 4 games (European Championship).

Besides, Betika.com has an incredible inititative dubbed Bingwa Bonus Boost that rewards their players by boosting their wins, sometimes double, sometimes triple the amount of wins.

Check out Betika.com, with an easy-to-navigate betting latform that also enables faultless, instant deposits and withdrawals.

England wary of stealthy Germany as the path to the Euro 2020 quarter-finals gets narrower and trickier!

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

English coach Gareth Southwell has a dice to throw in the formulation of his starting XI in Tuesday’s clash with Germany.

This regards the players Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount who’ve just returned to the fold after 10 days of quarantine.

Mount would normally be a starter, but he’s missed all of training in the lead up to the Germany meet.

Germany comes to the duel with a rounded team – Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and Serge Gnabry seem likely to start.

This team is likely to keep their solid 3-4-2-1 formation, with Gnabry at the tip of the spear flanked by Havertz and Mullér on the right.

England counters the Germans with a 3-4-3 formation, that saw them come through the group stage without conceding a goal.

This England-Germany clash is the first one since 2017. That meet resulted in a goalless draw.

The Group Stage was tough for Germany, they squeezed through by the skin of their teeth – they had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Hungary in their final game.

England, though, are wary of this team.

The winner here will only have to beat Sweden/Ukraine, then Czech Republic/Denmark for the final. This has to be the luckiest draw in the history of the competition.

Betika.com doesn’t disappoint, gamers on this platform enjoy tailored odds.

For an head-to-head stake, England Win has 2.55 odds, Germany Win has 3.00 odds – and a possible Draw posts 3.30 odds.

There’s other staking options, based on these statistics.

In the European Championships:

England have kept a clean sheet in their last 6 matches.

Germany have scored at least 2 goals in 10 of their last 11 matches.

England have won 5 of their last 6 matches.

There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of Germany’s last 6 games.

There have been under 2.5 goals scored in England’s last 3 games.

There’s more, in other competitions:

Germany are undefeated in their last 5 away matches against England.

England have seen under 2.5 goals in 5 of their last 6 home matches against Germany.

A gamer still has room to tweak his bet slip with Over 2.5, Both To Score (GG), HT-FT scores, et al.

Betika.com also prides itself with a friendly consumer policy that saw it unveil the unique customer reward system dabbed Bingwa Bonus Boost – this doubles and triples winnings on a particular bet slip.

There’s so much to gain, if a win triples on the same stake. Its unbelievable.

Register, and log into Betika.com for an awesome gaming experience, and the possibility of earning lots in winnings.

Can Belgium end a consistent losing streak against rivals Finland on Euro 2020 Monday clash?

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

Belgium suffers a glitch each time Finland is on the other side of the pitch.

And, its for a reason.

Finland are remarkably unbeaten in their last seven meetings against Belgium, last losing to the Red Devils in 1968.

Their most recent meeting was in 2016, which it ended 1-1. Depending on the football gods, that uncanny streak may still run, on Monday.

Belgium’s recent form, though, may end Finland’s streak – if gamers get to study the statistics.

Belgium has won their last 12 matches in all competitions, and managing to score atleast 2 goals in those matches.

This team, has managed Over 2.5 goals in 9 of the last 10 games.

Finland somewhat stutters, in this category.

Finland has consistently scored Under 2.5 goals in their last 5 matches against Belgium in all competitions.

Finland has won both at Half Time and Full time in their last 3 home matches against Belgium.

Betika.com offers very attractive odds for these options – Over 2.5, Under 2.5, HF/FT Scores, et al.

The platform has the highest odds for head to head options, at 9.50 for Finland win, 1.35 for Belgium win…and an incredible 5.00 for a draw.

Punters can’t get to agree, right?

Belgium has their trademark 3-4-2-1 formation, which has Kevin Du Bruyne up front. Kevin came off the bench last week to bail out Belgium in the difficult match against Denmark.

Roberto Martinez is expected to make changes to keep everyone fresh – like rest Lukaku, by fielding Michy Batshuayi.

Finland have the stocky 3-5-2 formation in a bid to slow down a fast attacking set up with a fuller mid.

This can result with better ball possession, but will they figure out a way to convert it into goals?

Finland’s Joona Toivio proved his fitness in time to start in Finland’s 1-0 defeat to Russia last time out, while Nikolai Alho made the bench.

Register, and log into Betika.com to experience gaming on an easy-to-navigate platform.

Enjoy Bingwa boost bonuses that doubles and triples your stake for good winnings.

It’s time to capitalise on your soccer intuition.

Friday Night: Scotland’s uphill task against robust England seeking to shake off a shaky start in Group D

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

Friday Night soccer presents an interesting encounter between England and Scotland in Wembley, which is an exact replica of the teams’ encounter in Euro ’16.

England cureently straddles Group D like a colossus, with a headstart in their opener game against Croatia in which they clinched a 1-o win.

Harry Kane

Despite an inconsistent form at Manchester United last season, Raheem Sterling found the back of the net for The Three Lions.

He’s expected to develop that chemistry with Harry Kane against Scotland to maintain that lead.

Scotland, under Coach Steve Clarke, come into this match as the uncelebrated underdogs, and seeks to overturn a 2-0 loss against Czech Republic in their first match.

Both teams come into the match reeling with injuries.

England coach Gareth Southgate seeks to bring in Aaron Ramsdale, an apt, if not a better replacement for Dean Henderson who’s bowed out with hip injury.

Captain Harry Maguire is fit, but unlikely to feature against Scotland – ankle injury.

Scotland’s Arsenal star Kieran Tierney missed the opener against Czech republic nursing a calf injury, but may feature in Friday’s clash against England.

Leading gaming platform Betika.com, posts attractive odds for the match, with an England win at 1.36, a draw at 5.20 and a Scotland win at 10.00.

Well, with odds above 1.30, England wins most games with almost 90% probability!

Anyways, Southgate is expected to maintan the 4-2-3-1 formation that was in play against Croatia. Striker Harry Kane is upfront, with a strong trio flanking him – Sterling, Mount and Foden.

Scotland’s Arsenal striker Kieran Tierney

Scotland seeks a fuller mid that falls back to support the defence, in their 3-5-2 formation. Its a strong 4-man midfield.

In an overview, this game seems to be a stroll in the park for England.

The Three Lions, are undefeated in 33 of their last 35 games in the European Championships.

Against Scotland, England has managed at least 2 goals in each of their last 4 matches, and scored Over 2.5 goals in those last 4 games.

Betika.com’s variety has Over 2.5 odds at 1.93. A Scotland upset is possible, and gamers can take advantge of 10.00 odds to place their stake.

Log into Betika.com to discover an incisive, gaming platform.

The new tax proposal will push away gaming companies from Kenya, if its implemented

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

The Ministry of Finance is seeking to reintroduce excise duty on betting at a rate of 20 percent of the amount staked.

This means total taxes would exceed 86.5 percent, which could again bring closure of some betting firms due to the unfavorable working environment.

 

In turn, Kenya would be left without great income and thousands of people that work in this industry would lose their jobs.

Here is a list of all the taxes that betting companies would have to pay:

  • 20 percent Excise Tax on betting stake
  • 1.5% Digital service tax on betting tax
  • 15 percent Betting Tax
  • Tax on winnings 20 percent
  • Income tax 30 percent

Additionally, the return on investment in Kenya through the payment of profits/repayment of loans would be subject to additional taxation in Kenya, which would lead to the situation that due to the applied tax policy, doing business in Kenya would not be commercially viable.

 

Reintroducing excise duty on betting, total taxes would exceed 86,5 percent. The negative effects of stringent measures could again bring closure of some betting firms

Foreign companies describe the Kenyan market as an over-taxed and unfair operating environment.

The companies in the industry are already paying high fees, and additional taxes are being proposed, which do not exist in Europe or America.

In England, the tax on the difference is 20 percent, and there is no tax on winnings or stake, Kenya would be one of the few countries in the world to adopt this model of taxing the gambling industry.

Excise duty on betting was introduced in 2019 but was removed in July last year.

 

One of the reasons behind removing the tax was that the high level of taxation had led to punters placing bets on foreign platforms that were not subject to tax and thereby denying the government revenue.

Parliament scrapped the excise tax saying that it is meant to reverse the negative effects of stringent measures that included the closure of some well-known betting firms.

That closure led to job losses for hundreds of Kenyans and a revenue gap to the taxman who had annually collected billions of shillings in taxes from the betting industry.

Gaming companies are big sponsors of Kenyan sports and generally have a great impact on the community.

They have especially stood out with donations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Betika raises the stake by Kes.27 million to help fight the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

The leading Kenyan sports gaming firm, Betika has extended support worth Kshs. 27 Million towards various initiatives geared towards combating the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In heeding the call by H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, Kshs. 6 Million of the funds will go directly to the private sector-led Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund to support the health sector and healthcare providers as they lead the fight against the virus.

The campaign through ‘Betika Na Community Initiative’, will see donations to this fund be used to purchase health supplies and equipment such as masks, nasal swabs, and testing kits. Low-income earners in an informal settlement will continue to be sensitized through various Betika channels on how to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

In addition to the Kshs. 6M, Betika has sheltered the sports fraternity with a Kshs. 20 Million boost during these unprecedented times that have seen all sporting events halted. The contribution will see the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage through Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed receive Kshs.15 Million to help cushion the sports industry in these tough times.

 

An additional Kshs. 5 Million will be directly sent to Betika National Super League and Kenya Premier league football players, with the support of FKF, to help them wade through the uncertain times that all Kenyans are going through. The Kshs. 5M cash is a timely boost for more than 1,050 football players across the country who will receive funds directly in their mobile wallets from Betika to support them and their families.

Betika has also donated Kshs. 1M to 16 students at the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (Chandaria-BIIC), based at Kenyatta University. The 16 students recently made the national limelight when they developed a locally made ventilator prototype which could be a game-changer in the fight against Coronavirus. This Centre that supports new and innovative ideas from students is in line with the firm’s vision that focuses on promoting youth and innovation.

Speaking during the handover, Mr John Mbatiah, the firm’s Business Head said, “We are dealing with an extraordinary crisis that requires all of us as Kenyans to take precautionary measures as guided by the Ministry of Health and also provide support to the men and women of this great country to be able to manage better the tough times they are going through.  We share in CS Amina’s call to help the sportsmen and women during these tough times which is at the very core of everything we are about. We believe as the leading betting firm in Kenya, it is our mandate that we support our men and women during this tough period to be able to provide for their families. We are deeply rooted in the local communities and by giving our support to the Kenyan Government relief fund, Ministry of Sports and other Sports organizations, we have the potential to build a stronger response capacity so that our communities are better equipped to face the outbreak’’.

“Being a Kenyan firm with over 90% of our workforce under 40, we know the importance of supporting the youth in this great country and that is why we chose to support the 16 students. This support confirms our commitment to investing in the community in any way possible. We may not fully cover the needs of the community, but we will play a significant part in changing lives of those that we are able to impact. We will continue to monitor the situation and extend further support to the relevant authorities and communities through the fund,” said Mr. Mbatiah.

 

FKF President Nick Mwendwa was humbled by the donation and appreciated the firm’s efforts to always being their partner. “I want to thank Betika for this kind gesture towards KPL and BNSL clubs, especially at this time when Kenyan Football is experiencing financial strain,” said FKF president Nick Mwendwa.

As a federation, we remain committed to exploring measures that cushion our players, right from the grass root to the top tier leagues during this time when football is largely affected by this global pandemic’’ added the FKF President.

Betika injects more millions in the countrywide drive to boost local teams

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

Leading sports betting firm Betika continues to invest in sports in the country and has today deployed football kits, nets and balls to over 200 football teams across the country. The firm, which has in recent times been seen as the champion of sports in Kenya, participated in a kit deployment exercise in Camp Toyoyo Grounds as part of its Betika Na Community initiative.

The program aims to invest in the youth by nurturing talent through Sports, Arts and Culture supports the youth in the community through provision of uniforms, financial support, kits, balls, nets and other sports equipment.

Speaking during the event, the firm’s Business Head, Mr John Mbatiah said, “We are happy with the progress Betika na Community has made in transforming lives in Kenyan communities. Since we began the initiative, we have been overwhelmed by sponsorship and event requests from football teams and clubs all over the country requesting for support. Even though we have already deployed team kits, footballs and nets to over 1,000 football teams across the country, there is still a gap to satisfy all requests. We therefore call upon other industry players and sports stakeholders to rise up to the challenge and join Betika in supporting all the teams”.

Mr Mbatiah also noted that the level of football talent in Kenya is improving and that the firm is committed to ensuring that it develops even further.

The firm hosted Jericho All Stars and Kibera Black Stars to an exciting exhibition match after the kit handover exercises that saw the two teams walk away with 150,000/= in prize money.

Betika has carried out and supported many sports initiatives across the country with its flagship Betika Na Community football tournaments in Machakos, Meru, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega and Kisumu since November 2019. This is in addition to a three-year sponsorship of Betika National Super League in a 100M partnership deal with Federation of Kenya Football (FKF) which has seen an increase in the level of competition in the league.

KK Combined FC and Gusii Starlets crowned Betika Na Community Kisii Champions

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

Local football teams KK Combined FC (Men’s) and Gusii Starlets (ladies) emerged overall winners at the Betika na Community football tournament held in Kisii county on 14th and 15th December. The two teams, who won 200,000/- and 100,000/- cash prizes respectively, battled it out against 18 other teams for the much-coveted title. Apart from the cash prizes, the winning team was awarded a Betika shop and a 5000-litre water tank to support their local community project.

All participating teams were provided with football kits and balls to further their training.

The tournament which was graced by His Excellency James Ongwae, Kisii County Governor, had over 7,000 fans in attendance. It was a culmination of week-long activities, held by the betting firm in Kisii which saw them hand out occupational gear and protective clothing e.g. conductor and reflector jackets and mechanic overalls to the Kisii residents.

Speaking during the tournament, Betika’s Commercial Head, Mr John Mbatiah said, “We are excited to witness the amazing levels of football talent in Kisii. We remain committed to investing in our community through the promotion of grassroot football in our country and are looking forward to similar tournaments in the remaining counties throughout 2020”.

The program aims to invest in the youth by nurturing talent through Sports, Arts and Culture events. Under the Sports program, the initiative aims to support the youth in the community through provision of uniforms, financial support, kits, balls, nets and other sports equipment.