Uganda to Strongly Monitor Online Gambling
Online casino players in Uganda will now have to register so that the country’s government can easily track their activities.
The CEO of NGBU (National Gambling Board Uganda) Edgar Agaba told media that they are in the process of creating a central monitoring system to track players’ activities and also make sure that underage citizens do not partake in gambling activities.
Gambling Activity in Uganda
Uganda’s local media quoted Mr Agaba saying that the CMS will be connected to the country’s Financial Intelligence Authority to lookout for money launderers. He further mentioned that they are hoping that the CMS will be valid from December 2018. It will also be linked to the Registration Authority and the National Identification system using personal information and biometrics to make sure that players do not fake their identities.
The CEO of the National Gambling Board of Uganda believes that monitoring gambling activity will result in increased tax revenue. However, he did not specify how small-scale online operators will afford to have the necessary technology installed, but maybe that’s the whole point. The Ugandan Gambling Board reported that there was a total of 736 online casinos in the nation’s capital city – Kampala. Of that figure, only 538 online casino operators were legal. They had to close down 99 noncompliant online casino operators just in the first half of last year.
Nonetheless, the gambling board’s latest data shows that the country has legalised 26 online sports betting sites and issued five internet casino licenses. Online casino operators pay 20% tax in Uganda and players are charged 15% tax on winnings. This is after the corporate and high fees tax that the casinos pay to Uganda’s telecom companies for mobile banking.
Overview
The realm of online casino gambling is ever changing in different markets. Maybe this latest addition to the gambling activities of Uganda is for the better for the country. At Kiwi Casinos, we will do our best to keep you posted on the latest worldwide gambling news.