Parliament |Uganda has a growing gambling industry, with local gamblers able to partake in a variety of gaming options offered by casinos, licensed sports betting operators, national lottery and other gambling sites.
The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board estimated last year that Ugandans spent an annual Shs150b (US $41.5m) on gambling.
The potential social cost of this activity has prompted Sironko RDC, Moses Wamoto Kigayi to petition the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, wondering if government permits it.
While presiding over the handing over of an ambulance to Sironko District at Budadiri, Mr Wamoto said that a law on gambling and betting should be passed to control the business which has seen many youth spending time and money on the games.
“Madam Speaker, the people in these villages spend so much time on gambling and drinking; we appeal to you and Parliament to pass strict laws to control these and have people engage in productive ventures,” he said.
Kadaga passed a directive allowing Mr Wamoto to close all gambling and betting businesses in the district.
The Speaker, according to press, said that Parliament already passed a law to regulate gambling and betting and it just needs to be implemented.
Parliament passed the Lotteries and Gaming Act, 2015 which provides for regulations for the gambling and betting sector.
“We passed a law; gambling and betting facilities are only allowed in cities and municipalities. I am directing you to close all those facilities in the trading centres and villages,” Kadaga ordered.
In April this year, AllAfrica.com quoted the Uganda People’s Defence Forces’ Commander of Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Peter Elwelu, telling local media that betting is “a game of the rich” and that the government’s approval of gambling had made many Ugandan youth poorer.
Elwelu stressed that this threatens public security, since poor people were inclined to “rob or steal” to earn money to partake in gambling activity.
The Ugandan Revenue Authority (URA) reportedly responded to Elwelu’s remarks by saying it shared the general’s concerns but said regulating and taxing gambling was a better way to manage the activity than prohibition.
By Paul Dennis
