Uganda moves to strengthen gaming product approvals with GLI technical support
NLGRB strengthens technical capacity and gaming standards as Uganda develops a framework for classifying and approving gaming products and systems.
Uganda.- Uganda is advancing work on a new framework for the classification, assessment, and approval of gaming products and systems as the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) builds technical capacity around gaming standards and oversight.
The NLGRB said in an August 10 statement that its staff had received training on Uganda’s gaming standards and engaged with experts from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) on a Games Classification and Approval Framework. “As the gaming industry evolves, so must regulation,” the NLGRB said, adding that the training would strengthen oversight of gaming devices and systems.
The regulator said the engagement was intended to strengthen a “shared understanding” of Uganda’s gaming standards and support their “coordinated implementation” across the sector.
The NLGRB also said effective gaming regulation requires more than “rules on paper”, pointing to the need for technical understanding of gaming systems, standards, compliance expectations and the risks regulators must address to protect the public and maintain confidence in the industry.
The stakeholder engagement involved the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), and the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court, alongside NLGRB staff and licensed gaming operators. UNBS contributed standards, quality assurance and conformity-assessment expertise, while URA provided input on tax compliance and revenue assurance. The court contributed to the enforcement and justice process.
The NLGRB said these partnerships would “strengthen coordination, support compliance and advance a safer, more transparent gaming industry.”
The detailed programme covered gaming systems, technical product standards, compliance and enforcement, tax compliance, player protection, and the classification, assessment, and approval of gaming products. NLGRB staff were also trained to interpret testing reports, evaluate gaming systems and conduct evidence-based regulatory audits.
The framework will also address the categorisation of games available in Uganda’s regulated market, with the NLGRB working to align the categorisation of games as part of the process.
Uganda’s gaming regulation evolves
The development builds on the NLGRB’s existing technical engagement with GLI, including discussions around gaming-system testing, certification, cybersecurity and regulatory oversight. In the latest programme, GLI provided technical expertise to support the regulator’s assessment of gaming systems and products, building on its previous work with Uganda on technical standards and training for regulatory staff and gaming inspectors.
The technical programme comes as the NLGRB continues a wider compliance drive against illegal gaming. In July, the regulator seized 102 unlicensed gaming machines across Luuka, Mayuge, and Kumi districts under its Operation Mashine Haramu campaign.
The latest regulatory work also supports the NLGRB’s objectives around player protection, reducing illegal gaming and strengthening public confidence in the sector, while supporting legitimate investment and innovation.
The August initiative points to the next phase of Uganda’s gaming regulation, with the NLGRB developing the framework while strengthening the technical capacity needed for product assessment, compliance and oversight. The approach is expected to support stronger player protection, greater transparency, and more consistent regulation as Uganda’s gaming market continues to evolve.
