Uganda has officially launched its new National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), signaling a renewed commitment to tightening oversight of the country’s growing gambling industry and tackling rising concerns over addiction and illegal operators.
The board was inaugurated in Kampala on July 24, 2025, by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, who tasked the agency not only with licensing and supervision, but with proactively mitigating gambling-related harm. “We need a regulator that doesn’t just collect fees,” Kasaija said, “but protects Ugandans from exploitation and ensures gaming contributes to public welfare.”
The NLGRB is chaired by Kenneth Kitariko, a former CEO of African Alliance Uganda and seasoned advisor in financial regulation. The board includes William Blick (former Olympic Committee head), Esther Akullo (governance expert), Faridah Bahemuka Murungi (legal and tax affairs), and ACP Odong Mark Paul (compliance and cybercrime).
One of its first missions is confronting Uganda’s illegal gaming sector, which has cost the country billions of shillings in lost revenue and social damage. Officials estimate over 3,000 illegal slot machines have been confiscated and destroyed since January 2025. Many were smuggled in as “spare parts” and reassembled locally, bypassing licensing frameworks.
In parallel, the NLGRB signed a memorandum of understanding with Makerere University to launch youth-targeted awareness programs, aiming to prevent student gambling addiction and promote financial literacy.
The establishment of the board comes at a pivotal time. Uganda’s betting and lottery market is expanding, with tax contributions from licensed operators reaching USh 150 billion (~USD 39 million) in 2024. However, unchecked informal gambling continues to undermine compliance and consumer protection.
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Lawmakers emphasized that while revenue collection is important, the regulator must build long-term market sustainability through fair regulation, consumer safeguards, and technological modernization. For regional and international investors, the board’s launch represents a step toward regulatory clarity and an improved investment climate in one of East Africa’s fastest-growing gaming markets.
