Students gambling away their future

“According to preliminary police reports, some students are gambling with their school fees, hoping to make a profit,” Mr Kituuma Rusoke, the spokesperson of Uganda Police Force, recently said, adding, “They bet their money expecting to win more, but often end up losing everything. In some cases, university students who gamble away their fees resort to forging academic results from places like Nasser Road just to please their parents.” 

In internet cafés, schoolyards, and roadside kiosks, young people are placing bets. The lure of a promise of fast money in a struggling economy has proven overwhelming. What begins as casual play often turns into a cycle of loss, debt, and desperation.

Mobile betting apps and 24-hour betting shops barely help matters, making gambling more accessible than ever. For some, winnings offer a fleeting high; for others, repeated losses lead to dropping out of school, strained family ties, and even theft. Despite the growing crisis, regulation remains weak and public awareness is limited. Schools and communities lack resources to address the addiction, and government efforts to curb underage gambling have been largely ineffective. 

A 2025 GeoPoll report shows Uganda as one of Africa’s leading countries in gambling participation, with 87 percent of respondents having placed bets. Youth gambling is particularly prevalent, with 57 percent of young people engaging in betting activities. 

“While many Ugandans gamble for entertainment, a significant number—especially young people—face financial loss, distress, and addiction.

Studies indicate high participation rates, with over 71 percent of Ugandans having gambled at least once,” Joshua Araali Nyakairu, the Team Lead at Gamcare Initiative Uganda, told Saturday Monitor. The report also shows that 40 percent of secondary school students in Mbarara City had gambled, with 17 percent identified as problem gamblers. Gamcare Initiative Uganda, receives more than 20 calls daily. Most of the callers are either grappling with losing money or seeking help to rein in their gambling. There are the odd desperate ones that seek a financial bailout.

A growing cancer

Dr Moses Okello, a behavioural psychologist, said the rapid rise in betting companies across Uganda is fuelling the gambling crisis among young people. He pointed to “a dramatic increase in betting outlets” and companies “aggressively targeting young people through digital platforms, making gambling accessible and even appealing to teenagers.” 

He warned that without stronger regulation and public education, the problem will worsen. There is a business side to betting, though. Jackline Kamakune, senior communications officer at the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), disclosed that government revenue from the gambling sector has been steadily increasing over the past three fiscal years (FYs). In the FY2021/2022, Shs110b was collected, followed by Shs151.9b in FY2022/2023, and Shs193b in FY2023/2024. In FY2025/2026, the taxman will use national identification numbers (NINs) to monitor and evaluate bets placed. “We currently have 59 licensed gaming operators holding about 87 licences.

The relationship is one-to-many, meaning a single operator can apply for and hold multiple licences depending on the types of gaming services they offer,” Kamakune said in an email to this reporter. Mr Rusoke said there is a causal link between gambling and domestic violence, adding that the stress that the activity triggers predisposes people to various crimes. He also attributed a growing number of domestic conflicts to gambling-related financial losses. “Some people who bet end up selling family properties. That’s how domestic violence starts,” he said. 

Mr Nyakairu said one way to understand gambling harm prevention is through the concept of housework—a never-ending task that demands continuous effort. “Just like keeping a home clean and safe, tackling gambling-related harm requires consistent action from individuals, communities, and institutions. It cannot be a one-time one-person fix; it needs ongoing collective, collaboration, accountability, and proactive measures.” 

The research shows that the impact of gambling is mostly affected at the family level. Research shows that 99 percent of gamblers are men and the number of female gamblers is growing, making harm reduction even more vital.

“So children are going to bed hungry, children are out of school, women are suffering violence, family property and investments are sold off, loans are piling up, among others, at the hands of problem gambling. So its impact cannot be underestimated and this is where conversations and vigilance at family level play a critical role,” the report notes, adding, “Institutions like religious institutions, community structures, local leadership structures and others have a key role to play in minimising gambling harm.” 

The experts in Gamcare Initiative Uganda said in applying the housework metaphor to gambling harm prevention, the framework provides a fresh perspective on shared responsibility and here’s how different stakeholders fit into the analogy. 

“Just like a household manager maintains a safe and functional environment, gambling operators can proactively design their products with ethical safeguards to prevent harm. They can ensure transparent odds and information, implement mandatory responsible gaming limits, and use AI-driven behavioural nudges to detect risky gambling patterns,” said Mr Nyakairu.

Inexorable march?

The research by Gamcare Initiative Uganda indicates that the harm prevention as “routine maintenance” prevention efforts should be like regular housework—consistent, not reactive. “Responsible gambling measures actively prevent harm by enforcing player protection. Self-exclusion programmes block access for compulsive gamblers while spending limits restrict excessive financial losses. AI-driven behavioural tracking detects risky play and prompts warnings or restrictions. Mandatory cooling-off periods curb impulsive betting, and clear educational tools promote informed decision-making. 

Seamless access to support services ensures help is available before problems escalate. These safeguards create a controlled gambling environment where harm is minimised, not just managed,” the research reads. Regulatory bodies like quality inspectors ensure that the gambling industry adheres to ethical standards and consumer protection measures.

They make certain that gambling promotions are neither misleading nor exploitative, particularly regarding vulnerable groups like minors and problem gamblers. Additionally, they enforce responsible gambling measures and ensure game fairness through testing labs. Operators are only granted licences if they meet strict criteria, including responsible gambling policies, fair odds, and financial stability. 

Regular audits and accountability measures help to keep businesses in check. An employee at a major betting company in Jinja City, who requested anonymity due to company policy, said there is a lot going on behind the scenes that most customers don’t see. 

“Most of our regular customers are school-going children. They come early in the morning carrying bags with casual clothes, then change out of their school uniforms in a room we’ve set up at the outlet. This helps them avoid trouble with law enforcement,” the anonymous employee said, adding of the children, “We don’t stop them. In fact, we’re encouraged to let them play because our income depends on the number of customers we bring in. We’re paid on commission—more players mean more money for us.

We have sales targets to meet, and chasing away young bettors would only hurt our earnings.” Mr Jimmy Nambiro, the assistant resident district commissioner of Mbale Industrial City Division, warned gambling operators against allowing children to participate in betting activities. He said security agencies would begin carrying out operations to crack down on betting centres that allow underage gambling. 

“We will not hesitate to shut down any gambling centre found permitting school children to bet. These students believe gambling will multiply the little money they have, but instead, they end up wasting school fees and dropping out of school,” Nambiro said. 

Nambiro also revealed plans to regulate operating hours for both gambling centres and bars. “We want to ensure people first engage in productive work—activities that can earn them a living—before they spend time in bars or gambling outlets,” he said.

Sensitisation

Mr Ahamada Washaki, the resident city commissioner of Masaka, told Saturday Monitor thus: “Gambling is legal, yes, but it must follow the law. The law permits gambling in urban settings, but we’re seeing operators setting up centres in rural areas, just to exploit people and make money, regardless of regulations. That’s unacceptable,” Mr Washaki said. He added that such uncontrolled expansion has led to increased indiscipline and idleness among youth, especially school-going ones. 

“We have reports of children stealing from their parents or using school fees to gamble. This is destroying their future, and we cannot allow it. We are working with law enforcement to ensure underage betting is stopped, and that betting companies and their employees who allow children to place bets are held accountable,” he disclosed. 

In Tororo, punters have turned betting shops into their homes—they barely leave . It’s become part of the culture. Moses Oketch said he had seen punters hit rock bottom after losing a great deal of money to betting. 

A mini survey conducted by this reporter revealed that several betting centres dotting eastern Uganda are operating outside the recommended hours, with some—in Mbale City and Kapchorwa—opening as early as 7am. In Tororo, Soroti City, and Jinja City, most centres flung their doors open at around 8am. Police in Mbale City recently arrested individuals found inside a betting centre during early morning hours in Namatala Ward. 

Among those apprehended were staff members operating the establishment. During the operation, officers also impounded betting machines. One of the workers claimed they had been instructed by their boss to open the premises at 8am “It is important to teach individuals about the risks associated with gambling before they encounter them. This education can take the form of youth awareness programmes, media campaigns, self-assessment tools, and training for gambling operators. Families and communities play a crucial role in fostering informed attitudes towards gambling,” Nyakairu said.