Uganda targets betting firms’ tax revenue with new bill
The Uganda National Lotteries and Gaming Board says the initiative will lead to UGX 300 billion in gaming revenue for the fiscal year 2024/2025.
Uganda.- The Ugandan government has unveiled a bill to improve tax transparency and collection in its betting and gaming industry.
Introduced by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, the Tax Procedures Code (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Bill No. 9) outlines new guidelines for tax compliance and payment systems in the gambling market.
A key provision of the bill is the creation of a central payment system for gaming and betting, which will be licensed by the Bank of Uganda and overseen by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
The legislation mandates that all transactions, including bets placed and winnings paid out, be processed through the system to ensure verifiable earnings reporting and transparency.
The Uganda National Lotteries and Gaming Board projects the initiative will lead to UGX 300 billion (€71.9m) in gaming revenue for the fiscal year 2024/2025.
Operators who fail to comply will be subject to penalties, such as a fine equivalent to double the tax owed or 5,500 currency points, whichever amount is greater.
The bill represents a crucial step in Uganda’s drive to modernise its tax systems and prevent revenue leakage. It gives the government greater control over online betting transactions and enables real-time monitoring of tax compliance in the sector.
Over the years, Uganda has been leveraging digital tools to track the volume of betting in its jurisdiction. In 2016 and 2018, the country launched TIMS (Telecommunications Intelligent Monitoring System) and DMS (Data Monitoring System). The systems, developed by Global Voice Group, have seen gaming tax revenue increase substantially since their inception.
