What is the Gambling Appeals Tribunal?

The Gambling Appeals Tribunal is the body set up by section 88 of the Gambling Control Act, 2025 to hear gambling disputes and appeals. A party to a dispute arising out of an online gambling activity may bring it there within fourteen days from the date of the dispute (s.80).

By Online Casino Kenya Editorial (prepared with AI tools under our editorial policy) · Last updated 2026-10-04

Who sits on it

Under section 88(2) of the Act the Tribunal has a Chairperson appointed by the President from among persons qualified to be judges of the High Court, two advocates of the High Court appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, and four persons appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for their knowledge and experience in gambling, business administration, risk management or law enforcement studies. Members other than the Chairperson serve part-time (s.88(6)). The Judicial Service Commission provides its secretariat (s.88(11)).

A panel hearing a matter has at least three members, one of whom is an advocate of the High Court (s.91(3)).

What reaches it

Section 88(9) gives the Tribunal the function of hearing and determining appeals against any decision of the Authority, and complaints arising out of the outcome of a gambling transaction or the functionality of gambling machines and equipment. In practice two kinds of matter stand out. The first is a player's or operator's dispute arising out of an online gambling activity, under section 80. The second is an appeal about a licence: regulation 20(4) of the Licensing Regulations, 2026 lets an applicant aggrieved by a decision to issue or decline a licence appeal to the Tribunal within fourteen days from the date the decision was communicated.

Sections 32 and 33 of the Act, on refusal and revocation of licences, speak of an appeal to "the Committee" within twenty-one days. The heading of Part XI in the Act's arrangement of sections also says "Committee", while the Part itself establishes a Tribunal. This entry reports the wording as printed.

Where it sits in a complaint

For a player the Tribunal comes after the operator and the Authority, as described in how to complain about an online casino in Kenya. Its procedures are left to regulations (s.88(12)), which this entry does not summarise.