Uganda will soon impose a flat 30 percent tax on all online gambling. The Lotteries and Gaming (Amendment) Bill of 2026 was introduced by Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija to the Parliament of Uganda on March 27. The tax is intended to be assessed uniformly across all forms of gaming and gaming activities.
According to the bill, the taxable base is defined as all payouts that have been made within the realm of the gaming industry. Specifically, this means “the total gross dollar amount of all money paid to a player as a result of the player engaging in a gaming activity, or the fair market value of any non-cash prizes awarded”.
If the bill is approved by Parliament, it will be implemented in the 2025/26 fiscal year, commencing July 1, 2026.
The new tax comes as a response to the rapidly growing gambling industry in Uganda due in part to the expansion of electronic payment systems, mobile telephones and online platforms that are catering to the younger urban population.
The gambling industry in Uganda currently employs over 10,000 individuals and generates significant amounts of tax revenue and non-tax revenue for the Ugandan government.
The single largest segment of the gambling industry in Uganda is betting. Betting will generate $328 million in 2025, making it a highly attractive option for Ugandan gamblers.
However, the legal interactive gambling market is facing competition from international and local illegal operators. Illegal interactive gambling generated $114.8 million in gross revenues for illegal operators in 2025, while the total legal interactive gambling revenue generated in Uganda during 2025 was $322.6 million. This means that, based on total legal interactive gambling revenue, over 25% of interactive gambling revenue generated in Uganda in 2025 was illegal.
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