Kenya’s High Court has allowed the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya (GRA) to collect new gambling licence fees even though their legality is still being challenged in court.
The dispute centres on a sharp increase in licensing costs, which operators argue is unlawful. Until the court reaches a final decision, GRA can collect the fees under the new framework.
Online bookmakers face up to KES 60M ($463K) in the first year
Under the new rules, an online bookmaker must pay:
- KES 50 million ($386K) - licence fee
- KES 5 million ($39K) - application fee
- KES 5 million ($39K) - annual operating fee
That puts the total first-year cost at around KES 60 million ($463K). Licence renewal costs KES 12.5 million ($97K).
The minimum gambling capital requirement for online bookmakers has also doubled from KES 50 million ($386K) to KES 100 million ($773K).
Operators face an August 28 deadline
The new regulations were published on June 29 and gave existing operators 60 days to move to the new licensing regime.
The application deadline is August 28, 2026.
GRA said that the earlier restriction on collecting the increased fees had left 246 licence applications effectively stalled.
The higher fees could still be overturned
The court’s latest ruling does not settle the legality of the new tariffs.
The parties must file their submissions by September 21, with judgment expected on October 2, 2026. If the court strikes down the disputed provisions, GRA has committed to refund the fees already collected.
For operators, this means paying the new charges now while the final legal status of the higher licensing fees remains unresolved.
Source: Tech-ish / Business Daily Africa
