Is Online Betting Legal in Uganda?

Checked: 3 August 2026 · Information only, not legal advice.

Yes, betting is regulated in Uganda. The Lotteries and Gaming Act requires an operator to hold the appropriate licence issued under the Act. The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board publishes current licensed-company lists.

Minimum age

The current consolidated Act defines a minor as a person below 25 years. Do not register or gamble if you are below the applicable legal age. An offshore site’s own 18+ notice does not remove Uganda’s local requirement.

How to verify an operator

1. Open the current NLGRB licensed-company publication.
2. Match the legal operator, trade name, exact website, licence type and licence number.
3. Check that the registration page shows the same entity and domain.
4. Treat accessibility from Uganda as insufficient evidence of licensing.

Status of the four brands reviewed here

The NLGRB list dated 15 May 2026 contains Advanced Gaming Limited, trade name 1Xbet, website www.1xbet.ug, with online General Betting Operating Licence NLGRB-BM-26-0206.

We did not find Betwinner, Melbet or Linebet under those brand names in that publication. Betwinner and Melbet publish Curaçao licences in their official terms; those are not Uganda licences. Linebet’s current public licence certificate was not independently verified during this review.

This check is date-specific. Always inspect the latest NLGRB list, because licences can be issued, renewed, suspended or allowed to expire.

Tax and complaints

Uganda Revenue Authority guidance states that payouts/winnings attract withholding tax collected by the promoter. The current rate and calculation should be checked against live URA guidance and the operator’s settlement display.

For a dispute, preserve account statements, transaction references and support tickets. Use the operator’s formal complaint process, then the NLGRB route when the operator/domain is covered by a current Uganda licence.

FAQ

Is 1xBet licensed in Uganda?

The 15 May 2026 NLGRB list contains Advanced Gaming Limited / 1Xbet / www.1xbet.ug with licence NLGRB-BM-26-0206. Verify that exact domain and entity.

Are Betwinner, Melbet and Linebet Uganda-licensed?

We did not find those brand names in the reviewed 2026 NLGRB list. Offshore licensing is separate from Uganda authorisation.

Is the age 18 or 25?

The current Uganda Act defines a minor as a person below 25.

Does a Curaçao licence make an operator legal in Uganda?

It is evidence of an offshore licensing relationship, not proof of an NLGRB licence.

Check the latest law and regulator list before acting. 25+ in Uganda.