The Chief Executive Officer of the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, Denis Mudene Ngabirano, has won the Rising Star in Responsible Gaming award at the iGaming Afrika Summit 2026.
The award, presented during the summit in Nairobi, places Mudene among a select group of emerging African regulators driving reforms aimed at safeguarding players while sustaining sector growth.
“This is a true and tangible testament to the intentionality of the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board to create a safe, fair and well regulated gaming environment in Uganda,” the regulator said in a statement.
Uganda’s gaming sector has grown over the past decade, fuelled by the proliferation of sports betting outlets, mobile money integration and increasing youth participation. This expansion has, however, raised concerns around problem gambling, underage betting and revenue leakages through illegal operators.
In response, the Regulatory Board under Mudene has increased enforcement operations, shutting down unlicensed firms and tightening licensing conditions, while deploying digital monitoring systems to track compliance and improve revenue assurance.
These measures have contributed to a steady rise in government collections from gaming activities, positioning the sector as an increasingly important non tax revenue stream, even as authorities attempt to mitigate its social risks.
Speaking at the summit, Mudene called for the establishment of a regional coordination mechanism to address cross border challenges that individual regulators struggle to contain.
“We need a unified East African Gaming Regulators Forum to harmonise standards and jointly confront illegal gaming,” he said.
He added,“Without collaboration, enforcement remains weak and operators exploit regulatory differences between jurisdictions.”
The iGaming Afrika Summit is focused on shaping the future of gaming through policy dialogue, technology showcases and investment partnerships.
Across the continent, governments are grappling with how to regulate a sector that is expanding faster than legal frameworks can adapt, particularly with the rise of online and offshore betting platforms that often fall outside traditional oversight systems.
Within Uganda, the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board has recently introduced public sensitisation campaigns on responsible gaming, emphasising age restrictions, financial discipline, and awareness of addiction risks. The authority has also been pushing operators to adopt ethical advertising practices and strengthen player protection mechanisms.
Mudene’s continental recognition shows efforts of confidence in Uganda’s regulatory direction, particularly at a time when several African countries are tightening controls on betting amid rising public concern.
The award reflects not just individual leadership, but institutional progress in aligning Uganda’s gaming sector with international best practices.
As the sector continues to expand, regulators face the delicate task of balancing revenue generation and investment attraction with the need to protect vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of gambling.
Mudene’s ambition is to sustain reforms in a sector that remains economically promising but socially sensitive.
