Uganda Seizes More Than 123 Illegal Gaming Machines in Greater Katonga Crackdown

Uganda's gambling regulator and police have confiscated more than 123 illegal gaming machines across the Greater Katonga region as authorities intensify a nationwide campaign against unlicensed gambling operations.

Uganda's National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), working with the Uganda Police Force, has seized more than 123 illegal gaming machines during a coordinated enforcement operation in the Greater Katonga region.

The crackdown, conducted under Operation Mashine Haramu, targeted unlicensed gaming activity in Mpigi, Mabuye, Katende, Kalagala and Nakirebe. Machines operating outside Uganda's licensing framework were confiscated during the raids.

At the same time, the regulator's Greater Masaka enforcement team carried out compliance inspections in Kyanamukaka, Lukaya, Kyotera, Mitondo, Katondo and Kyanjale. Those checks focused on whether existing gaming businesses were operating with the required licences and regulatory approvals.

The Katonga operation is part of a broader enforcement campaign that has intensified during 2026. In May, the NLGRB recovered 169 illegal gaming machines in parts of West Nile, including Arua, Maracha, Koboko, Nebbi and Pakwach. In March, the regulator reported another 129 machines seized and eight non-compliant gaming premises closed in the Kampala area.

The scale of the problem extends well beyond the latest raids. In August, NLGRB Chief Executive Denis Ngabirano told Parliament that the regulator had confiscated 9,983 illegal gaming machines over six years and blocked 57 unauthorised online gaming sites.

Ugandan authorities argue that unlicensed gaming operations create several risks at once. They operate outside tax and licensing systems, compete with legal businesses and may offer games without the consumer-protection and responsible-gambling safeguards required from licensed operators.

Recent enforcement has also targeted the supply of illegal machines. Earlier in September, an intelligence-led operation in eastern Uganda uncovered a suspected workshop used to manufacture or modify gaming equipment after regulators raided four illegal gaming shops in Kibuku and expanded the investigation into neighbouring Pallisa District.

Under Uganda's Lotteries and Gaming Act, the NLGRB has authority to inspect gambling premises and seize equipment used in unauthorised activities. The Board says it will continue working with police to remove illegal operations while strengthening compliance among licensed businesses.

The Greater Katonga seizures therefore form part of a wider shift toward more continuous enforcement rather than isolated raids. With thousands of illegal machines removed in recent years, Uganda is increasingly combining regional inspections, intelligence-led operations and online blocking to reduce the unlicensed gambling market.