Uganda has Africa’s highest gambling age

Garance Limouzy September 30, 2024

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Uganda has Africa’s highest gambling age

Uganda has set the highest legal gambling age in Africa at 25, a regulation introduced in 2018 following the parliamentary review of the Lotteries and Gaming (Amendment) Bill. Despite proposals to lower the minimum age to 18, lawmakers, backed by the Finance Committee, upheld the 25-year limit to protect young people from the risks of betting.

The highest age limit in Africa

This age restriction stands out in Africa, where most countries, including Angola, South Africa, and Ghana, have a gambling age of 18. Other nations, like Egypt and Namibia, set the limit at 21, while Algeria and Ethiopia ban gambling entirely. However, a study noted that Uganda struggles to enforce its gambling laws due to a weak regulatory framework and the National Gaming Board’s (NGB) lack of capacity to oversee all gambling activities.

Protecting players

According to the Independent, over 71 percent of Ugandans have gambled at least once. A 2023 study conducted among secondary school students in Mbarara Municipality revealed that 40 percent of the students had gambled, with over 17 percent identified as problem gamblers—a figure that rises to 44 percent when considering only students who had gambled. The report highlights that the prevalence of problem gambling among adolescents is two to four times higher than among adults. The rate of problem gambling among Ugandan secondary school students is notably higher than in many other countries.

Uganda’s gambling regulations

Uganda’s gambling industry operates under the Lotteries and Gaming Act of 2016, with oversight from the Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (LGRB), which issues licences for various forms of gambling. Although the legislation does not specifically address online gambling, operators are required to hold local licences. The casino sector is tightly regulated, with annual licensing and different fees for local and foreign operators. Betting is similarly controlled, with licences for general betting, pool betting, and intermediary betting.

The National Lottery

Uganda’s lottery market is led by ITHUBA Uganda, which holds the national lottery licence for a ten-year period. Public lotteries are also permitted under the same regulatory framework. Strict licensing fees and renewal processes ensure that the industry operates within clearly defined legal boundaries.

ITHUBA Uganda, launched last August, is a subsidiary of South Africa’s National Lottery operator. However, some lawmakers have expressed concerns about a private company managing the National Lottery, citing fears of inadequate standards and the potential for harm to the population, particularly regarding problem gambling. Experts have called for stricter regulations to limit gambling opportunities and protect vulnerable groups, including minors. The government has pledged that lottery funds will be directed to key sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.