The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) conducted a stakeholder engagement meeting with technical staff in Lira and Gulu districts. These stakeholder engagements were held in the respective district boardrooms, aimed at enlightening leaders on the Board’s mandate, promoting responsible gaming, and fostering collaboration in enforcement and compliance.

In attendance were Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), Senior Management Staff, Community Development Officers, Health Educators and Sub-Accountants.

Welcoming the team from the Board, the CAO commended the team for organizing awareness engagements for stakeholders.

“I gave my son university tuition, and he gambled with it,” one of the health educators shared during the engagement sessions

She also went ahead and thanked the board for creating awareness and opening regional offices.

Some participants observed that children often engage in gaming secretly. For instance, one case was cited where a child, given money to buy paraffin, chose to spend less on the purchase and used the balance to stake in slot machines.

Participants recommended involving political leaders in future engagements, raised concerns about widespread slot machines and fish tables.

They also sought clarity on the required distance between gaming premises and restricted areas, noted contradictions between Uganda Revenue Authority’s EFRIS system and the Lotteries and Gaming Act.

In conclusion, participants expressed appreciation for the engagement, noting that it deepened their understanding of the Board’s mandate and the vital role districts play in fostering responsible gaming. They emphasised the importance of continued training and sensitisation to equip leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to safeguard their communities from the harms of gaming.