Uganda on Lotteries and Gambling Act 2016

A new law is under way as Lotteries and Gambling Act 2016 is being finalized and will be in operation soon.

The Board Chairman of National Lotteries and Gambling Regulatory Board, Mr. Tumubweine stated that gambling should be for pleasure but not to make money. Government is working on regulating the sector and this will include enormous sensitization for people to play for fun.

He also mentioned, they have started confiscation of illegal gaming facilities around schools, markets and churches. In the past one year, 400 different equipment have been confiscated.

"The challenge we have been having so far, is that some people go out in the countryside and open branches without us knowing. And by the time we get to know, they have really disturbed people especially the people with slot machines. We are making efforts and as I talk now our inspectors have been in the field especially in the zone of Entebbe, Mukono and Kampala. Now we have said we are said we are sending enforcement officers to either close or capture the illegal machines in those places. In the old regulation, we recommend about up to about 100m away from them.”– Mr. Tumubweine.

He also suggests that there are over 400 illegal gaming branches, some of them re-opened it illegally after shutting down.

Mr. Mpiirwe, Secretary of the National Lotteries and Gambling Regulatory Board  said that in terms of  money, a sports betting centre in Kampala receives about five million Shillings in a day but barely gives out 1 million shillings to winners. Annually, it is estimated that Ugandans are spending about 150 billion shillings (approx $44 million) in the Games and Lottery sector.

He also said they do not have an estimated figure of amount that Ugandan gains who participates in gaming, but stated that profit made by companies are huge.


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