Uganda regulator removes unlawful gaming adverts in targeted billboard crackdown

Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board has removed non-compliant gaming advertisements from billboards in several Kampala-area locations as part of a broader effort to tighten enforcement of advertising rules and reduce gambling-related harm.

Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has carried out a targeted enforcement operation against unlawful gaming advertising, removing billboards in Gayaza, Kyanja, Najjera and along the Nalya-Ntinda Bypass. The regulator said the action was taken in line with its Gaming Advertisement Directives.

The NLGRB said the operation forms part of an ongoing crackdown on advertising that does not comply with Uganda’s gaming rules. It warned that operators and advertisers will continue to be held accountable where promotional material breaches regulatory requirements or undermines responsible-gambling standards.

Uganda’s advertising framework regulates the content, placement and manner in which betting, gaming and lottery products can be promoted. The rules prohibit advertising linked to unlicensed gaming activity and restrict promotions that are misleading or capable of encouraging irresponsible gambling. Gaming advertisements are also expected to carry appropriate responsible-gambling messaging.

The latest operation is significant because it shows the regulator extending enforcement beyond gaming premises, machines and websites to the marketing infrastructure used to attract customers. Billboard advertising gives gaming brands substantial visibility in public spaces, making compliance with placement and content requirements an increasingly important part of consumer protection.

Advertising oversight sits alongside a wider enforcement campaign by the NLGRB. In May, the Board seized 169 illegal gaming machines during an operation across the West Nile region after finding equipment operating without the required licences and regulatory approvals.

The regulator has also been expanding responsible-gaming measures. Its Responsible Gaming Directives require stronger player-protection practices, including responsible-gambling messages, safeguards for minors and vulnerable people, and measures around self-exclusion and inducements.

The billboard crackdown comes as Ugandan lawmakers are also demanding stronger action against illegal gambling. On August 26, Parliament’s COSASE committee called on the NLGRB to intensify licensing, monitoring and enforcement, particularly in rural areas where lawmakers said unlicensed gambling businesses were becoming increasingly visible.

For licensed operators, the latest action is a reminder that regulatory compliance in Uganda extends beyond holding a valid licence. Marketing campaigns, physical advertising, responsible-gambling messaging and the way products are presented to the public are all becoming part of a more active supervisory approach. The NLGRB has indicated that billboard enforcement will continue as it seeks to ensure that gaming advertising remains lawful and does not increase harm to consumers.