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By Aggrey Baba
[A thief who steals your money only takes what you have, but a thief who steals your time and future takes everything].
Across Uganda, betting companies have found a way to do both, luring students into a silent but deadly trap that is costing them their education, their dreams, and their future.
With over 30% of university students now engaged in online gambling, mainly sports betting, many are using money meant for tuition and necessities to chase quick wins that rarely come. Yet, behind the flashing screens and tempting odds, lies a dangerous cycle of addiction and loss.
Regulators warn that betting companies, while operating within the law, are exploiting young and impressionable minds. Despite strict laws setting the legal gambling age at 25, many underage students find ways to access betting platforms, often aided by lax enforcement and loopholes in digital verification systems.
Alicia Atukunda, Senior Manager of Licensing and Responsible Gaming at the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), is sounding the alarm.
“The younger one starts gambling, the easier it is for them to get addicted. That’s why curbing underage gaming is a priority for us,” she stated.
The NLGRB, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports, is running awareness campaigns in schools and universities to educate students about the dangers of gambling.
However, the battle is uphill. Studies indicate that 97% of students use mobile phones during school hours, giving them easy access to betting platforms disguised as entertainment.
Parents, educators, and authorities must act fast before more students fall into the trap. Gambling is a game where the house always wins, and for many students, the real cost isn’t just money, but a stolen future.
Whether Uganda will let its brightest minds bet away their destiny, remains a question with no answers until time tells. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
