Uganda regulator asks Teso media to raise gambling awareness

The regulator wants traditional media, digital platforms and community leaders to help explain gambling risks and regulations in underserved areas.

Key takeaways:

• Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board has urged media organisations to play a greater role in explaining gambling risks and regulations.
• The call was made during a media engagement in Soroti, Teso, on October 13.
• Journalists recommended working with local leaders to reach remote and underserved communities.
• Voice of Teso’s Simon Ochen also called for cultural leaders to be involved in public education efforts.
• The engagement follows similar NLGRB initiatives with journalists in Gulu and digital publishers in 2026.

Uganda.- Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has called for stronger media involvement in expanding public awareness of gambling risks, responsible gaming and regulatory requirements in the Teso region. During an October 13 engagement in Soroti, journalists urged the regulator to work with local and cultural leaders to reach remote communities with limited access to public information. The discussion formed part of the NLGRB’s wider effort to use traditional and digital media to improve understanding of the regulated gaming sector.

Jackie Kamakune, a senior communications officer at the NLGRB, said the regulator recognises the importance of accurate media coverage in shaping public perceptions of gambling. During the engagement, journalists urged the Board to work with local leaders to extend awareness campaigns to remote and underserved communities, including villages where access to public information may be limited.

Simon Ochen, a programme producer at Voice of Teso, welcomed the Board’s engagement with journalists, particularly reporters and sports commentators. He also recommended involving cultural leaders in public education, citing their influence within local communities. He said this approach could help the regulator reach audiences beyond conventional media channels by using established community networks to communicate information about gambling regulations and associated risks.

The meeting followed a similar initiative in northern Uganda in March 2026, when the NLGRB met journalists in Gulu to discuss its regulatory mandate and responsible gaming. In May 2026, the Board also met the Online Media Publishers Association to discuss how digital platforms could be used to raise public awareness of gambling risks and promote responsible gaming.