When the top heads government agencies met at the National Water and Sewerage Corporation headquarters early this week for the 4th Heads of Government Agencies meeting, the conversation took an unexpected but crucial turn – toward gaming.
It wasn’t about jackpots or lucky numbers. It was about people, accountability, and a rapidly evolving industry that, if left unchecked, could spin out of control.
At the heart of that conversation was Denis Mudene Ngabirano, the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) chief executive officer, who issued a timely appeal: collaboration is no longer optional.
‘While gaming is a regulated activity, irresponsible gaming poses both social and economic risks that demand collective action to mitigate,’ he said.
His message was clear: gaming may fill the national coffers, but if it empties households or compromises lives, then the cost is too high.
Few Ugandans realise just how fast the gaming industry has grown.
Under the stewardship of the NLGRB, gaming has transformed from a loosely governed pastime into a structured, high-revenue sector.
Ministry of Finance data shows that annual revenue from gaming has soared sixfold, rising from Shs50.6b in the 2019/20 financial year to Shs323b in the 12 months to June 2025.
In the same period, industry turnover exploded from Shs500b to Shs8 trillion.
The introduction of the National Central Electronic Monitoring System, a digital platform that tracks gaming transactions in real time, has been a game-changer, enhancing transparency, compliance, and revenue accountability.
But even as the industry booms, the risks multiply. Ngabirano warns that the human impact, such as addiction, underage gaming, and financial distress, can easily outpace the regulatory gains if awareness and enforcement don’t keep up.
Thus, Ngabirano wants key agencies such as Uganda Revenue Authority, National Identification and Registration Authority, National Information Technology Authority, Bank of Uganda, and the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) to join hands in combating illegal operators and tightening oversight.
This call aligns closely with Finance Minister Matia Kasaija’s own charge to the newly inaugurated NLGRB board, which, in July, he urged to anchor its next phase of growth on three national pillars: Domestic Revenue Mobilisation Strategy, the ten-fold growth strategy, and the Fourth National Development Plan.
Through these strategies, Kasaija noted that technology and data should be leveraged to optimise non-tax revenue, seal leakages, and ensure that gaming revenues directly support key social sectors like education, health, and sports.
‘The future of regulation lies not in silos but in strategic partnerships. A well-regulated gaming sector benefits everyone,’ he said.
That future is exactly what Ngabirano envisions; one where enforcement agencies, regulators, and social institutions work in tandem to make gaming safer, fairer, and more accountable.
Reforming the industry
Government has, in the last five years, sought to institute several reforms, among which require all active operators of gaming, casino, and betting outlets to start channeling all payouts through a Bank of Uganda centrally-managed system this financial year.
The requirement was contained in the Tax Procedures Code Amendment Bill, 2025, noting that: ‘An operator of a casino, gaming or betting activity shall only receive a wager or money staked and only make payouts through the gaming and betting centralised payments gateway system licensed by the Bank of Uganda under the National Payments Systems Act.’
The payment system is linked to the URA electronic notice system, and the amendments put a condition that national identification numbers shall be used to serve in the place and or replace Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) that are currently issued by the URA.
NLGRB also, in July, inaugurated a new board under the leadership of Kenneth Kitariko with a target of doubling down on responsible gaming initiatives.
Building a culture of responsible play
In the end, the NLGRB’s story is no longer just about numbers and systems; it’s about values.
It’s about ensuring that gaming, which now contributes billions of shillings to the economy, remains a regulated form of entertainment rather than a societal burden.
And that is why Ngabirano’s voice matters. It was not just a call to regulate, it was a call to protect.
The gaming landscape continues to evolve, and as such, NLGRB says, it must remain fair, clean, and players, especially the most vulnerable, must be safe.