Uganda has called for the establishment of a regional framework to harmonise gaming standards across East Africa as regulators contend with the growing complexity of a fast-evolving digital industry.
The chief executive officer of the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, Denis Mudene, proposed the creation of an East African Gaming Regulators Forum to strengthen coordination, promote responsible gaming and improve cross-border enforcement against illegal operators.
Speaking at the inaugural iGaming Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, Mudene warned that the shift to digital platforms has outpaced existing regulatory frameworks, creating gaps that are increasingly exploited by unlicensed and offshore operators.
“The market is no longer confined within borders. Without coordination, illegal operators will continue to exploit regulatory gaps,” he said.
The summit, which brought together participants from more than 100 countries, highlighted the expanding scale of Africa’s gaming ecosystem, cutting across operators, telecom companies, payment platforms and technology providers.
A major concern raised was the rise of illegal and offshore gaming operators targeting African markets without licences. Regulators say such operators undermine compliant businesses, expose consumers to risk and contribute to significant tax losses, while their cross-border nature makes enforcement difficult when countries act individually.
Uganda’s recent enforcement efforts illustrate the magnitude of the challenge. Under Operation Mashine Haramu, authorities have confiscated more than 7,000 illegal gaming machines and shut down over 20 unlicensed websites.
Mudene said illegal operators present not only a regulatory challenge but also a consumer protection and revenue concern. He noted that they undermine compliant businesses, expose players to harm and deprive governments of much-needed revenue.
Regulators at the summit agreed that national enforcement alone is no longer sufficient. There is increasing recognition that tackling illegal gambling will require shared intelligence, coordinated enforcement and closer collaboration with telecom and payment service providers to disrupt illicit activity.
The industry continues to evolve, driven by mobile technology, digital payments and online platforms. Across Africa, regulators are moving towards treating online gaming as a distinct segment, with many jurisdictions introducing dedicated licences that recognise the unique risks associated with digital platforms.
In Uganda, operators are now required to declare their software providers and demonstrate how their systems operate. The regulator has also begun licensing software providers directly as part of efforts to strengthen oversight across the gaming value chain.
Regulation is also expanding beyond operators to include payment providers, affiliate marketers and technology vendors. These are increasingly seen as critical control points in a technology-driven market where transactions, marketing and gameplay occur across multiple platforms and jurisdictions.
Mudene said harmonisation does not mean imposing identical laws or tax regimes, but aligning on core principles such as responsible gaming, consumer protection and anti-money laundering standards.
He said agreement on these fundamentals would help close the gaps that illegal operators continue to exploit. In Uganda, the Responsible Gaming Directives 2025 require operators to integrate these safeguards into their day-to-day operations, shifting responsible gaming from policy to practice.
Mudene said that responsible gaming must be embedded in the daily operations of companies if the industry is to remain sustainable.
Regulators also called for stronger consumer protection measures, including tighter controls on advertising to curb misleading claims, particularly those that present gaming as a reliable source of income.
As the sector expands, there is growing recognition that its long-term sustainability will depend not only on revenue generation, but also on protecting consumers and maintaining public trust.