Kenya Betting Operators Face New Fees Amid Ongoing Legal Fight

A Kenyan court has permitted the country's gambling regulator to begin collecting new licensing fees from betting operators, requiring companies to transition to the updated fee structure by August 28 or risk losing their active licenses, according to a report by iGaming Today.

The new fee structure represents a dramatic increase from previous rates: the betting license fee rose 250-fold, from $1,500 to $386,000, while application and renewal fees increased 500-fold. Combined with additional payments, operators could face total first-year costs of approximately $425,000. License validity was also shortened from three years to one. Minimum capital requirements for online betting operators doubled, rising from $390,000 to $780,000. Operators must additionally connect to Kenya's tax and monitoring systems and store data within the country. The only requirement eased from initial proposals was the advertising tax, reduced from 10% to 6%.

Operators continue contesting the new fee structure in court, concerned that recovering already-paid fees would prove difficult if the rules are ultimately struck down, though the regulator has pledged to refund payments should the court rule the new tariffs unlawful. A decision in the case is expected on October 2, leaving operators to comply with the steep new costs in the meantime without certainty over the framework's long-term legal standing.