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The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has successfully conducted an enforcement operation in Kampala, leading to the confiscation of illegal slot machines and related spare parts.
Following a series of investigations, the NLGRB identified and raided shops in downtown Kampala that were involved in the sale of illegal gaming machines.The enforcement exercise resulted in the confiscation of 198 illegal slot machines and 12 boxes of gaming machine spare parts.
“We have captured 198 illegal slot machines and 12 boxes of spare parts. This is part of our ongoing enforcement against unlicensed coin machines, driven largely by intelligence gathering. We receive information on suppliers and manufacturers of these illegal machines,” said Mr Denis Mudene Ngabirano, chief executive of NLGRB.
Mr. Ngabirano further disclosed that the Board’s efforts are aimed at tracing the warehouses where these machines are assembled before they reach showrooms.“The team has targeted a showroom where these machines are sold. However, our goal is to trace back to the manufacturing and assembly points. I am confident that we will uncover these locations and confiscate all the illegal machines and spare parts stored there,” he added.
He appealed to the public for assistance in identifying locations where illegal gaming machines are manufactured and assembled.“I urge all Ugandans with information on the manufacturing and assembly of these illegal machines to come forward. This will help us protect citizens from substandard and unlicensed gaming equipment,” he emphasised.
Mr Ngabirano also highlighted the licensing requirements for manufacturing gaming machines in Uganda.“Anyone wishing to manufacture and supply gaming equipment must obtain a licence. Currently, there are only two licensed operators in the country, providing equipment that meets international standards.”Mr Aloysius Mugasa Adyeri, the Board Chairman of NLGRB revealed that the enforcement exercises are conducted to ensure the sector is well-regulated and save the citizens from illegal gaming machines.
“What we do is to regulate the sector in this country and make sure the sector is run properly and save citizens and non-citizens from the effects of adverse gaming,” he said.The NLGRB currently has over 3,500 confiscated gaming machines in its warehouses, with plans already underway to destroy this illegal equipment.