NLGRB Escalates Anti-Gambling Enforcement, Seizing Over 10,000 Illegal Machines in Five Years
UGANDA– Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has intensified its crackdown on illegal gambling operations, reporting the blocking of 23 unlicensed gaming websites and the destruction of 6,749 illegal gaming machines valued at approximately UGX6.21bn (US$1.7m) in 2026.
According to the regulator, the machines were destroyed under court orders as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate unauthorized gambling activities. Over the past five years, the NLGRB has seized a total of 10,020 illegal gaming machines across the country.
The regulator said the website blocks were implemented in partnership with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), telecommunications companies and internet service providers to restrict access to unlicensed online gaming platforms operating outside the country’s regulatory framework.
Enforcement efforts have also extended to the courts. The NLGRB reported that it prosecuted 24 operators, importers and suppliers linked to illegal gambling activities during the three-year period ending in June 2026. Twenty-one of the cases resulted in convictions, while three remain before the courts. Those prosecuted included 19 Ugandan nationals and five Chinese nationals.
The board also handled 125 consumer complaints during the 2025/26 financial year involving claims worth UGX2.66bn (US$592,838). Of these, 112 complaints involving UGX2.57bn (US$572,780) were resolved.
The intensified enforcement campaign follows a directive issued by Uganda’s Parliament in August, calling on the regulator to take stronger action against illegal gaming operators, particularly in rural areas where oversight challenges persist.
The NLGRB credited law enforcement agencies, local leaders and members of the public for supporting efforts to identify and report suspected illegal gambling activities. The regulator says it will continue working with stakeholders to strengthen oversight and protect consumers from unregulated gaming operations.
