Is online gambling legal in Uganda?

Legal overview

Uganda regulates gambling under the Lotteries and Gaming Act No. 7 of 2016, which established the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board as the licensing and supervisory authority for lotteries, casinos, gaming and betting. The Board's licence categories show that online play is part of the licensed market: the Casino Operating License covers virtual or online platforms offering games approved by the Board, the General Betting License covers both online and land-based sports betting, and the Bingo Operating License includes remote bingo. A national lottery licence is reserved for the Minister responsible for finance, while public lotteries are limited to charitable fundraising.

Residents may therefore play online casino games legally with operators licensed by the Board, which publishes yearly lists of licensed companies. The Board says participation is limited to adults aged 25 and over. Its Responsible Gaming Directives, 2025 require warnings, strict age checks, self-exclusion and registers of restricted persons, and licensed operators are connected to a National Central Electronic Monitoring System used for tax and compliance oversight.

The Board describes offshore operators as its main challenge. It publishes lists of approved operators, issues closure notices against illegal operations, seizes illegal gaming machines with the police, and says it works with Google so that only licensed operators can advertise. In July 2026 it launched a five-year strategic plan and announced that it will seek amendments to the Act with tougher penalties and stronger oversight of online platforms. Players on unlicensed sites cannot use the Board's complaints process.