Uganda takes aim at gambling addiction and financial literacy
In a bold partnership, the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, Butabika Hospital and the Bank of Uganda team up to confront rising gambling addiction and money mismanagement among youth and the working class.
Uganda – In a bid to tackle Uganda’s growing gambling concerns, the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NGLRB), Butabika National Referral Hospital and the Bank of Uganda (BOU) joined forces for a dynamic outreach event focused on responsible gaming and financial literacy.
Held at the SafeBode Academy in Kampala, the event brought together mental health professionals, regulators and financial experts, shining a spotlight on managing finances and gambling.
“We’re not here to stop betting,” declared Susan Hope, Senior Responsible Gaming Officer at the NGLRB, according to PML Daily.
“We are here to make sure that you gamble responsibly and make your families better in the process.”
She said gambling was not a financial plan.
With regulation as the board’s weapon of choice, Hope said enforcement efforts include targeting illegal betting machines and enforcing ID verification to stop underage gambling.
“People are not only betting from Uganda but also other countries. That’s why we don’t just focus on banning. We focus on regulated,” she noted.
The Bank of Uganda added another layer to the discussion: financial literacy. Hashim Kirungi outlined the bank’s eight-module training program, encouraging participants to track spending, distinguish between wants and needs, and to set financial goals. The training also included aspects of budgeting, saving and investment planning.
“If you don’t have financial knowledge, you’re more likely to make poor financial choices,” Kirungi said.
Speaking about the mental health aspect, Eric Kwebiiha from Butabika Hospital didn’t hold back. “We now receive patients whose mental illness is directly linked to gambling.”
This drive was targeted at underage gamblers and the working class.
