Uganda: gaming regulator reports sharp rise in non-tax revenue as electronic monitoring boosts visibility

Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) says its annual non-tax revenue collections jumped eightfold to Shs8.79bn in FY2024/25, crediting tighter licensing, revised fee structures and stronger compliance tools.

The update was presented to Parliament’s Committee of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, where acting Executive Director Bernard Winyi said NLGRB’s annual non-tax revenue collections rose from Shs1.14bn (FY2019/20) to Shs8.79bn (FY2024/25).

Winyi linked the jump to “improved licensing, revised fee structures and strengthened compliance systems,” and pointed to the rollout of the National Central Electronic Monitoring System as a turning point in tracking operator activity. Prior to the system, the board relied heavily on operator self-declaration of stakes; after implementation, Winyi told MPs that recorded stakes increased to Shs4.3tn in FY2023/24 and Shs8.3tn in FY2024/25, with a projection of Shs14.1tn for FY2025/26 — visibility the regulator says improves tax collection.

Alongside the non-tax revenue figures, Winyi said the board’s overall annual revenue collections have expanded from Shs17.4bn (FY2015/16) to Shs323bn (FY2024/25). Local reporting also cited Shs176.7bn collected in the first half of FY2025/26, with a Shs391bn full-year target.

MPs welcomed the revenue trend but pressed NLGRB on enforcement, including the spread of illicit gaming machines. Parliament’s report notes 1,418 illegal devices were confiscated and highlights concerns about how such equipment enters the country; Winyi said some shipments are disguised as computer parts and that the board is engaging the Uganda Revenue Authority’s customs teams on identification at entry points.

The message from the hearing is that Uganda’s next growth phase will depend less on headline market expansion and more on how effectively electronic monitoring and border enforcement can keep the sector formal, measurable and compliant as stakes continue to rise.