Uganda tells BETKUMI users to stop betting and withdraw funds after operator exit

Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board has instructed BETKUMI customers to stop placing bets immediately and withdraw any remaining balances after the operator exited the market, while also directing affected users to official complaint channels for unresolved payout issues.

The NLGRB announced that Reys and Meys SMC Limited, which traded as BETKUMI, has ceased operations in Uganda. According to sector reporting citing the regulator’s public notice, the instruction was issued on 14 April 2026 under Section 4(j) of the Lotteries and Gaming Act, Cap 334, making it a formal consumer notice rather than a routine market rumour.

The Board’s message to players was direct: punters should refrain from placing any new bets and withdraw any balances immediately from the platform. The regulator has not publicly detailed the reason for BETKUMI’s exit, but the wording of the notice makes clear that the company is no longer expected to continue serving the Ugandan market.

Just as importantly, the NLGRB pointed affected users toward its complaint and support channels if they face unresolved problems linked to the shutdown. Reporting on the notice says the Board invited BETKUMI users to contact it over concerns related to the cessation of services, while the regulator’s own website shows an online File A Complaint form together with its hotline, WhatsApp line and email contact, giving customers a formal route to escalate delayed or failed withdrawals.

The episode fits a broader regulatory pattern in Uganda, where the NLGRB has increasingly framed operator exits through the lens of player protection and dispute handling rather than simply announcing closures. In practical terms, the BETKUMI case is not only about one brand leaving the market; it is also a reminder that, as Uganda tightens supervision of gaming, regulators are putting more visible emphasis on how customer funds and complaints are handled when an operator stops trading.