{"id":10552,"date":"2025-10-15T06:43:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T09:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/?p=10552"},"modified":"2026-04-19T12:54:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T15:54:58","slug":"ugandas-gaming-board-calls-on-gambling-operators-to-regularise-licenses-after-80-illegal-machines-seized","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/ugandas-gaming-board-calls-on-gambling-operators-to-regularise-licenses-after-80-illegal-machines-seized","title":{"rendered":"Uganda\u2019s Gaming Board calls on gambling operators to regularise licences after 80 illegal machines seized"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NLGRB urges all gaming operators to come forward as nationwide enforcement campaign targets unlicensed machines and strengthens compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Uganda.- Uganda\u2019s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB)<\/strong> is calling on all gaming operators to come forward and obtain proper licences<\/strong> as it intensifies its crackdown<\/strong> on illegal gambling through Operation \u201cMashine Haramu\u201d. This follows the seizure of more than 80 unlicensed gaming machines<\/strong> in the cities of Mbarara and Ibanda on October 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to NLGRB Operations Manager Steven Tabaruka<\/strong>, more than 6,000 illegal gaming machines<\/strong> have been confiscated nationwide<\/strong> since the campaign began. The seizure targeted unregulated gaming operators, suppliers and manufacturers that exploit unsuspecting Ugandans and undermine industry integrity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The operation safeguards Uganda\u2019s regulated gaming ecosystem<\/strong> while supporting compliant operators. Tabaruka encouraged visits to NLGRB offices in Mbarara or Kampala to regularise operations and ensure that games and premises meet licensing standards<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tabaruka said in a press release: \u201cThe Board\u2019s goal is to protect Ugandans<\/strong> by eliminating illegal gaming activities and promoting responsible gaming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
NLGRB seizes illegal gaming machines in latest crackdown, reinforcing Uganda\u2019s crackdown on unlicensed gambling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Boosting compliance, investor confidence through outreach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Industry stakeholders and legal operators<\/strong> have praised the regulator\u2019s outreach<\/strong> in recent reports, noting that regional engagement simplifies compliance and fosters a level playing field. Operators see the initiative as a boost to investor confidence<\/strong> and a step toward long-term professionalism in Uganda\u2019s gaming sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NLGRB continues stakeholder meetings<\/strong> in northern districts addressing underage gambling, compliance awareness and community cooperation. Strengthening adherence to licensing regulations protects consumers and aligns the sector with international best practices<\/strong>. The Board also monitors operators\u2019 systems and equipment to ensure compliance<\/strong> with safety, anti-money laundering and responsible gaming standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, the Board is accepting applications for 2026 licence renewals<\/strong>, which opened on October 3 and run through October 31. Operators introducing new games or casinos will face careful review<\/strong>, including submission of game rules, anti-money laundering compliance reports and mandatory connection of electronic gaming machines to the National Central Electronic Monitoring System<\/strong>. Licensed premises must meet strict standards for security, accessibility and responsible gaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NLGRB has pledged ongoing collaboration<\/strong> with local authorities and the police to ensure a cleaner, more responsible gaming industry that benefits operators, players and the broader community, while encouraging all stakeholders to support a safe and regulated gaming environment.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\t\tSee also:<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tSee also:<\/span> Uganda Gambling Board opens 2026 licence renewals with strict rules for operators<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NLGRB urges all gaming operators to come forward as nationwide enforcement campaign targets unlicensed machines and strengthens compliance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2809,"featured_media":10726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"is_press_release":false,"is_interview":false,"is_opinion":false,"focusai_summary":"Uganda's National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) is intensifying its nationwide enforcement campaign, \"Mashine Haramu,\" targeting unlicensed gaming machines and operators to bolster regulatory compliance and market integrity. Concurrently, the NLGRB has opened 2026 licence renewals, introducing stricter requirements for new games, anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, and mandatory connection to a National Central Electronic Monitoring System. This initiative aims to professionalize the sector, protect consumers, and enhance investor confidence by fostering a level playing field for compliant operators.","focusai_entities":"National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, NLGRB, Steven Tabaruka","focusai_location":"Uganda, Mbarara, Ibanda, Kampala","focusai_target_profile":"ceo_executive (0.9), regulator (1.0), compliance_legal (0.9), operator_casino (0.9), affiliate_publisher (0.7), product_ux (0.7), tech_data (0.9), payments_fraud_aml (0.9), investor_analyst (0.9), supplier_vendor (0.8), journalist_researcher (0.8)","focusai_suggestions":[{"label":"Central Monitoring System Specs?","query":"What are the specific technical requirements and implementation timelines for licensed operators to connect to Uganda's National Central Electronic Monitoring System?"},{"label":"Impact on Market Share?","query":"How will the NLGRB's intensified enforcement campaign and stricter licensing impact the market share and profitability of currently licensed operators versus the previously unregulated grey market?"}],"footnotes":""},"categories":[60013,60025,60019],"tags":[226,1338,1593],"class_list":["post-10552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-east-africa","category-featured-article","category-regulation-news","tag-anti-money-laundering","tag-gaming-regulation","tag-responsible-gambling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2809"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10552"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10577,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10552\/revisions\/10577"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}