Dragnet Closes in on Illegal Gambling Networks as Chinese and Ugandan Operatives Are Arrested

Uganda’s National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) has intensified its crackdown on illegal gambling operations, netting scores of Chinese nationals and their Ugandan accomplices in a nationwide operation targeting unlicensed slot machines and gaming equipment that have deprived the government of significant revenue.

The enforcement drive, code-named Operation Mashine Haramu—Swahili for “illegal machines”—is part of a broader effort by the regulator to stem the spread of unlawful gambling devices, which authorities estimate have cost the state at least shillings 350 million in lost revenue. The operation has so far resulted in the confiscation of more than 6,000 illegal gambling machines and the detention of numerous operators linked to a well-organised cartel operating across the country.

NLGRB officials say scores of Chinese nationals have been arrested for their involvement in the illegal distribution of slot machines and for evading payment of mandatory gaming licence fees. The suspects are believed to be part of a wider network coordinating the importation, assembly and deployment of unlicensed gaming equipment.

In a statement issued on December 14, the NLGRB said that, working alongside the Police, it carried out an intelligence-led surveillance operation in Bukolobe Village, Kamuli district, which uncovered an illegal gaming manufacturer identified only as Chen, a Chinese national allegedly operating without a licence from the board.

“A court order was lawfully secured, enabling a co-ordinated search at two locations in Bukolobe and Bunangwe, both linked to the suspect. Items recovered during the operation include 13 fish tables, three slot machines, 32 TV screens, 17 boxes of assorted spare parts and five generators,” the statement said.

According to the regulator, the suspect remains at large and investigations are continuing in a bid to apprehend all individuals involved in the illegal gaming operation.

More arrests and seizures

In a separate earlier operation, enforcement officers seized multiple illegal slot machines and so-called “fish tables,” which are frequently imported disguised as computer hard drives and later assembled locally to evade taxes. Among those arrested was Asuman Wadeya, a well-known gaming machine technician operating in Lungujja, Kampala.

Following a tip-off, officers raided Wadeya’s workshop and recovered 399 slot machine motherboards, 15 complete Chinese slot machines and two sacks filled with spare gaming machine parts. Another suspect, identified only as Ssentongo and described as a kingpin in the illicit trade, was found to have relocated overnight from his shop to an unknown location to evade arrest.

In September, two additional suspects—bar attendant Patricia Mwesigwa and Rajabu Kavuma Kitakule from Masaka city—were arrested and charged at Makindye Court for making gaming and betting machines available for use without a licence, contrary to the Lotteries and Gaming Act Cap 334. These arrests followed a series of operations in the Busoga region and Lira city, where 286 illegal gaming machines were seized.

A list obtained by New Vision Online of illegal manufacturers and suppliers includes Fujian Industries in Nkoowe, operated by two Chinese nationals. The pair were convicted and sentenced to a fine of shillings 800,000 or three months’ imprisonment. Another suspect, Jackson Nkumba, was fined shillings 300,000. Eddie Mubuuke, who was found in possession of 10 incomplete fish tables and 14 metallic table stands, was convicted and handed a fine of shillings 900,000 or 18 months’ imprisonment. Denis Kavulu, operating at Equatorial Mall in Kampala, was fined shillings two million, while the heaviest penalty—shillings 3.5 million—was imposed on Zeng Feng in Mbarara City.

Police sources said the Lungujja operation followed weeks of surveillance. “Enforcement and Investigation teams have been following some information for two weeks, provided by an informant that some two operators are dealing in gaming spare parts in Lungujja. With the help of uniformed Police officers from Central Police Station (CPS) Kampala, an enforcement exercise was conducted that led to the arrest of one Asuman Wadeya, a renowned gaming machine technician in Lungujja, Kikandwa, Rubaga division. The suspect has been detained pending investigations and charging at Makindye Standards Court,” police sources said.

‘Mashine Haramu’ marks a turning point

NLGRB chief executive officer Dennis Mudene Ngabirano said that since the launch of the aggressive campaign against illegal gaming machines, several devices have been confiscated and more than five suspects arrested since July 2025.

“In accordance with the Lotteries and Gaming Act Cap. 334, the Board is mandated to supervise and regulate the establishment, management and operation of the lotteries, gaming, betting and casinos in Uganda and to protect the citizens from the adverse effects of gaming or betting in Uganda. All crackdowns or enforcement activities are conducted in accordance with Section 67 of the Lotteries and Gaming Act Cap. 334,” Ngabirano said.

He explained that while the board has previously carried out enforcement actions and destroyed illegal machines, the launch of Operation Mashine Haramu represents a significant shift. “The logic behind ‘Operation Mashine Haramu’ signals a shift toward sustained and visible enforcement beyond the ad hoc crackdowns. The timing may reflect a readiness (in resources, intelligence, and partnerships) to carry out a more ambitious nationwide operation. We have the support of Uganda Police as well as a team of investigators attached to the Board from CID,” he said.

Ngabirano added that the board has not only confiscated illegal machines but has also destroyed them through court orders, in partnership with the National Enterprise Corporation at Luwero Industries. He argued that permanently removing the machines from circulation reduces the risk of reuse and resale.

He further noted that unlicensed gaming machines often have harmful social and health consequences, and said the ongoing crackdown would strengthen the board’s credibility and demonstrate responsiveness to public concerns.

“To the pockets of the illegal/ non-compliant operators, manufacturers and suppliers, all I can say is that they need to regularise now than get shut down or apprehended. To the licensed operators, you are also under scrutiny, and you should endeavour to remain compliant,” he warned.

Digital oversight and sector growth

Ngabirano also revealed plans to reinforce licensing and regulatory oversight through digital platforms such as e-licensing, and by linking licensed operators’ systems to a National Central Electronic Monitoring System (NCEMS) to enhance transparency and auditability.

The board has established regional offices in Gulu, Mbale and Mbarara to decentralise oversight and ensure enforcement, compliance monitoring and stakeholder engagement take place closer to operators on the ground.

“We have also made licensing and compliance details public so citizens can verify which operators are licensed. All licensed operators are publicised on the Board’s official website, www.lgrb.go.ug. However, as a regulator, we also encourage tip-offs, reports from the public and local leaders to help spot illegal operators,” he said.

Ngabirano disclosed that a call centre has been set up, with a toll-free line (0800285800), alongside social media reporting channels to allow the public to report unlicensed operators, suppliers, manufacturers or suspicious activities.

Under the stewardship of the NLGRB, the gaming sector has evolved from what Ngabirano described as a loosely regulated pastime into a structured, high-revenue industry. Ministry of Finance data shows that annual gaming revenue surged from shillings 50.6 billion in the 2019/2020 financial year to shillings 323 billion in the year ending June 2025. Over the same period, industry turnover ballooned from shillings 500 billion to shillings eight trillion.

According to Ngabirano, the introduction of NCEMS has been transformative. “The gaming sector’s financial performance has been impressive. Last financial year, the board collected 323 billion shillings in taxes, with projections to reach 400 billion shillings this year. However, revenue generation is not the primary focus. Our major focus is not just revenue collection.

The major focus is to protect Uganda from the adverse effects of gaming,” he concluded.

By fLEXI tEAM