Uganda lottery regulator takes aim at underage gaming
Likening gambling to a ‘razorblade’, the CEO of Uganda’s national lotteries and gaming regulator has warned of heavier consequences for those running illegal operations.
Denis Mudene, CEO of the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), hosted a stakeholder engagement session with Uganda Police Force officials in late May.
The conclusions of this meeting have now been made public by the NLGRB, with the primary takeaway being a reiteration of the regulator and police’s strategy of enforcing gaming laws.
“Gaming is not a money-making venture,” Mudene said. “It is a leisure activity or entertainment, and we encourage only those of legal age to participate responsibly.”
The regulator is particularly concerned with the extent to which age-restricted products like lotteries and gaming can be accessed by under-age consumers.
This is something both the regulator and police have sought to address by bringing regulatory oversight closer to certain communities, having been alerted to unlicensed gaming operations and cases of children funding gaming via school fees or theft.
“We shall offer total support to reduce offenses and illegal operations,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Bosco Bakashaba, the Deputy Regional Police Commander Rwizi Region.
“Gaming houses that admit underage individuals or operate without licenses, especially in villages, will face legal consequences.”
Uganda stands out as one of Africa’s most established and valuable markets, though some operators have noted difficulties in the regulatory relationship in the country as well as the stability of tax rates.
The country’s gaming and lotteries regulator has a longstanding history of working to combat illegal gambling, however. Back in 2021, for example, it partnered with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), which was tasked with developing new technical standards for the local industry.
https://lotterydaily.com/2025/06/19/regulation/uganda-lottery-regulator-takes-aim-at-underage-gaming/