High Court freezes new gambling and casino licence fee hikes pending hearing
Key points
- Nairobi High Court Justice William Musyoka froze implementation of increased gambling and casino licensing fees while the main case is heard.
- Stay covers fee increments in the Second Schedule and gambling capital in the Third Schedule of the Gambling Control (Licensing) Regulations, 2026, varying a 20 July 2026 order.
- Petitioners including lawyers Thomas Buckley Opal and Ken Brance sued GRA, the Attorney General and the Prime Cabinet Secretary, citing an “astronomic” fee jump that could cripple operators.
- A separate urgent petition by lawyer Biketi Wati seeks to declare the regulations unconstitutional, alleging key charges were not fully aired in public participation.
Betting firms and casinos won a temporary shield from new licence price tags after Justice William Musyoka of the High Court in Nairobi blocked the Gambling Regulatory Authority from enforcing fresh fee schedules, The Standard reported.
The judge said the core complaint was the “astronomic variance” between old charges and the newly introduced ones. He varied a stay first made on 20 July 2026 so that it now specifically holds off implementation and enforcement of fee increments in the Second Schedule and gambling capital requirements in the Third Schedule of the Gambling Control (Licensing) Regulations, 2026, pending hearing of the substantive motion.
Two tracks: fee freeze and constitutionality attack
In the initial suit, lawyers Thomas Buckley Opal and Ken Brance sued the GRA, the Attorney General and the Prime Cabinet Secretary, arguing the new rules would cripple the industry. A fresh certificate-of-urgency petition by lawyer Biketi Wati seeks to have the regulations declared unconstitutional, claiming elements including new charges were “sneaked through Parliament” and were not part of what the public reviewed. Business desk: Business. Verified judge, schedules, stay date and party names from The Standard; the exact shilling tables in the schedules were not reproduced in the article text used here.
Operators still face the final hearing — a freeze is not a permanent veto. Treasury, GRA and Parliament’s finance committees will be watched for whether they re-table fees with clearer public participation records or dig in for a full constitutional fight.
Based on The Standard reporting (Kamau Muthoni, 11 August 2026). Court orders control interim effect; final merits remain pending.
