Uganda gaming regulator seeks telecom support to curb illegal online gambling
Mudene urged stronger collaboration with the communications regulator and licensed ISPs to combat illegal gambling.
Uganda.- Uganda’s gaming regulator is intensifying efforts to combat illegal online gambling by strengthening collaboration with telecommunications operators and internet service providers (ISPs) to improve oversight of digital gaming activities.
On Thursday, June 11, the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) announced its participation in a stakeholder engagement organised by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) alongside licensed telecommunications operators. The meeting was held under the theme “Fostering a Culture of Compliance and Responsible Communication among Licensed Operators.”
The engagement focused on regulatory compliance in the communications sector and ways regulators and operators can jointly address unlicensed online activities, including illegal gambling platforms.
Speaking at the event, UCC executive director Hon. George William Nyombi Thembo said the telecommunications industry plays a central role in connecting people and driving innovation, but stressed that operators also have a responsibility to comply with regulatory requirements.
In his address, NLGRB chief executive officer Denis Mudene called for stronger collaboration between the gaming regulator, the communications regulator and licensed ISPs to combat illegal online gambling operators.
The collaboration with telecommunications operators is expected to support the identification and disruption of unlicensed online gambling activities while improving information-sharing between regulators and network providers. Regulators argue that stronger coordination is necessary as gaming services increasingly migrate to digital and mobile platforms.
The engagement forms part of broader regulatory coordination in Uganda. Earlier this year, the NLGRB and the Uganda Revenue Authority launched the National Central Electronic Monitoring System to track gaming transactions and improve reporting.
In May, the NLGRB also worked with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards on the adoption of international standards to improve transparency and accountability in the sector.
