Uganda gambling regulator and revenue authority meet to strengthen gambling oversight
Discussions during the meeting covered operator compliance, tax obligations, enforcement measures and the integration of the NCEMS.
Uganda.- Uganda’s gambling regulator and the national tax authority have stepped up coordination on tax compliance, operator monitoring and data sharing as the country expands oversight of the gaming sector.
On Friday, April 24, the Board of Directors of the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board held discussions with officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority, led by Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi, focusing on enforcement cooperation and the use of digital monitoring systems within the gambling industry.
Discussions during the meeting covered operator compliance, tax obligations, enforcement measures and the integration of the National Central Electronic Monitoring System (NCEMS). The NCEMS was introduced to give regulators and tax authorities direct visibility into gaming transactions and operator activity.
The system is intended to improve revenue tracking, support compliance monitoring and strengthen enforcement against underreporting in the sector. Uganda’s regulator has previously said the NCEMS would help standardise reporting and provide real-time monitoring of gambling transactions.
Board Chairman Kenneth Kitariko noted that closer cooperation between regulators and tax authorities was necessary to improve oversight of gambling operators and verify industry revenues.
Musinguzi said the gambling industry remains one of Uganda’s fastest-growing sectors and also called for stronger institutional coordination to improve compliance and enforcement. He added that both agencies need to strengthen their systems to support regulatory oversight and revenue collection.
The discussions align with Uganda’s broader tax reform drive in the gambling sector, where policymakers have been pushing for clearer, more standardised taxation and improved enforcement across betting and gaming activities. The recently passed amendments to the Lotteries and Gaming framework introduced a unified tax structure aimed at reducing inconsistencies in how operators are taxed.
With the Uganda Revenue Authority and the gaming regulator now strengthening coordination, officials are expected to rely more heavily on digital monitoring systems such as NCEMS to support the implementation of the revised tax regime. The system is seen as key to verifying stakes, payouts and operator declarations, which form the basis of the new tax model.
