Uganda regulator seizes 70 illegal gaming machines
The seized machines were reportedly operating outside the legal framework that governs gaming activities in Uganda.
Uganda.- The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force, has seized more than 70 illegal gaming machines during enforcement operations in Bundibugyo, Nyahuka and Fort Portal under its ongoing Operation Mashine Haramu campaign.
The regulator said the latest raids were carried out by its enforcement team alongside police officers as part of efforts to remove unlicensed gambling equipment from communities and strengthen compliance in the country’s gaming sector.
According to the NLGRB, the seized machines were operating outside the legal framework that governs gaming activities in Uganda. However, the regulator did not disclose whether arrests were made during the operation.
Operation Mashine Haramu, meaning “illegal machines” in Swahili, is a nationwide enforcement campaign launched by the regulator to clamp down on unauthorised gaming operations. The initiative focuses on identifying illegal gaming premises, confiscating unlicensed machines and investigating suppliers and operators involved in unlawful gambling activities.
The latest action in western Uganda adds to a series of similar enforcement exercises conducted across the country in recent weeks. In earlier raids, the regulator reported the seizure of more than 100 machines in Central and Eastern Uganda, while over 80 machines were impounded in Mbarara and Ibanda.
Authorities argue that illegal gaming operations expose players to unregulated gambling environments, reduce government tax collections and undermine licensed operators that comply with the country’s gaming laws. The Board has also linked illegal gaming machines to increased access to gambling in trading centres, bars and small shops where regulatory oversight is limited.
The NLGRB said enforcement operations will continue in different parts of the country as it continues to strengthen responsible gaming measures and ensure that gambling activities are conducted only by licensed operators under Uganda’s regulatory framework.
