Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board launched a five-year strategic plan, a client charter and service delivery standards on Tuesday, setting out a push to tighten oversight, curb illegal gaming and put responsible gaming at the centre of regulation. The plan covers FY2025/26 to FY2029/30.
Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister Henry Musasizi launched the package and said it reflected a long-term vision for a transparent and accountable gaming industry. He said the new framework aligns with Uganda Vision 2040, the Fourth National Development Plan and the government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
The board said the three documents are meant to strengthen regulatory oversight, improve service delivery and clarify the commitments it makes to licensed operators and the public. Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Patrick Ocailap stressed that the real test would be implementation, saying policy documents matter little without compliance and accountability.
Board chairman Kenneth Kitariko also presented the NLGRB’s ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management certification during the launch. Denis Ngabirano said the certification strengthens the board’s ability to securely manage data collected from gaming operators and reinforces confidence in its digital regulatory systems.
The regulator’s earlier 2020/21-2024/25 strategic plan had already described the board’s mission as licensing, regulating, setting standards and handling complaints across lotteries, gaming, betting and casinos. That plan said earlier work had focused on regulations and guidelines, institutional policies, ICT systems, workflow processes and human resource capacity.
The older plan also framed the board’s direction around reducing the adverse effects of gaming, increasing sector revenue and driving technology adoption. It described the regulator’s vision as a technologically driven, revenue-generating gaming sector free from adverse effects.
Musasizi said the gaming industry generates about Shs360 billion a year for government, while also creating jobs, supporting rental businesses and boosting tax collections. He urged the board to strengthen electronic monitoring, automate licensing processes, intensify action against illegal gambling and promote responsible gaming.
