Uganda’s NLGRB seizes 28+ illegal gaming machines in western districts as crackdown widens

The regulator says machines were found at unlicensed premises in Sheema, Rubirizi and Kabale, after intelligence-led operations backed by local leaders and community tip-offs.

Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has reported the seizure of more than 28 illegal gaming machines during enforcement operations carried out in western Uganda, as it intensifies pressure on unlicensed gambling activity.

According to the Board’s update referenced in media coverage, the operation targeted unlicensed operators in Kishabya (Sheema District), Katerera (Rubirizi District) and parts of Kabale District, with officials saying the action followed intelligence gathered with support from local leaders and community members.

The regulator reiterated that operating gaming equipment without a valid licence breaches Uganda’s Lotteries and Gaming Act, warning that illegal machines are subject to enforcement action and legal processes that can ultimately lead to destruction. It also encouraged the public to keep reporting suspected illegal operators and suppliers, framing community reporting as a key driver of results.

The seizures fit a broader national campaign that has combined inspections, confiscations and disposal of illegal equipment—an approach the NLGRB says will continue as it pushes to protect consumers and keep the licensed market from being undercut by unregulated venues.