Best Betting Sites in Uganda
Located north of Lake Victoria in East Africa, Uganda counts as one of globe’s largest landlocked countries and the third most influential nation in the East African Community (EAC). Even though Uganda remains to be one of those impoverished nations, nevertheless, it’s beginning to realize some economic growth, albeit slowly.
When it comes to gambling and sports betting, Uganda appears to have a rich gambling history that dates back to the 1960s, a time when the country established its initial gaming laws. Today, there are more than 1,000 betting shops operating legally in Uganda with plenty of them located in the country’s capital city, Kampala. Besides these betting shops, there are also several licensed and unlicensed sites in Uganda.
All this is due to the availability of internet services, an aspect that has seen 70 % of youngsters that are below 30 years of age, placing bets on several sporting events almost daily.
Uganda’s National Gaming Board Uganda (NGBU) is the sole institution responsible for regulating the betting market. This was after the establishment of 2016s Lotteries and Gaming Act No.7. Additionally, the NGBU is responsible for the issuance of licenses to bookies who get to meet the required regulations.
While there are local operators such as Betpawa ug, they face fierce competition from notable foreign bookies such as Betway and 1XBet. There are other non-licensed foreign bookies that accept Ugandan bettors, chief among them being 22Bet and Bet365.
TOP ONLINE BOOKMAKERS IN UGANDA 2024
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5 things to know before betting in Uganda
- The legal age of gambling is 25 years
- Uganda’s gambling market is overseen by the Lotteries and Gaming Act
- All licensees in Uganda are subjected to a 20% tax on their GGR
- Players’ winnings are subjected to a 15% tax
- No legal action is taken for players who bet on non-licensed foreign bookies
- Best betting sites in Uganda
There are plenty of betting sites in Uganda. However, to a Ugandan player, that doesn’t matter the most. What they really want is the best betting sites that will leave them with a good betting experience.
At this point, we present some of the best betting sites in Uganda selected based on their competitive odds, a wide variety of betting markets, attractive bonuses, and a website that’s easy to navigate. Based on our in-depth analysis, we found 888sport, 22BET, and 1XBET to be the best betting sites in Uganda. They tower above other sports betting sites in Uganda based on some top-notch services that they offer.
Online sports betting in Uganda: The legal perspective
Since the 8th of April 2016, online sports betting became fully legal in Uganda but with some regulations. This was after the amendment of the Lotteries and Gaming Act No. 7. But before that, Uganda’s National Lotteries Board (NLB) regulated the country’s gaming industry. A year later, in 2017, the Gaming and Pool Betting Act was effected, and a few years back, there was the introduction of the Lotteries and Gaming Bill.
It’s important to note that there was the formation of the National Gaming Board of Uganda (NGBU) along with the enactment of the country’s current gambling legislation. As mentioned above, the NGBU issues gambling licenses and the collection of betting taxes.
As of now, all licensed bookies in Uganda are local except Betway Uganda and 1XBet. There’s a 20% GGR tax that applies on all licensees. Again, a majority of notable foreign operators don’t have a local permit to conduct business, meaning that they aren’t subjected to taxes and levies. Players who choose to bet on licensed Ugandan sites are subject to 15% withholding tax, unlike those who wager on non-licensed foreign bookies who pay no taxes at all.
Foreign bookies that accept Ugandan players
Ugandan bettors are at will to wager on international bookmakers of their choice, regardless of whether they are licensed or unlicensed. While there are several foreign bookies that readily accept Ugandan players, the following are some of the most popular ones:
- 22Bet Uganda – this bookie welcomes players with an attractive initial deposit bonus and highly competitive odds on several betting markets such as the EPL and the Spanish La Liga. Furthermore, there are daily promos here, a lite mobile app, and a website translated into the Swahili language. Bettors willing to fund their accounts have several options to use such as EcoPayz, Skrill, or Neteller.
- Bet365 Uganda – this is a top bookmaker when it comes to matters concerning football betting. Here, players are assured of high odds on more than 100 fixtures and betting markets in European matches. Besides its generous welcome offer, bettors here can place their bets using Bet365’s mobile app. Funding accounts is fast and secure with popular payment methods such as Paysafecard, Skrill, and Neteller, among others.
- 1XBet Uganda – this is another notable bookie in Uganda known for their great promotions, plenty of free bets, and some of the highest odds, especially on EPL matches. Here, players can find more than 100 betting markets not forgetting the fact that they can use the Ugandan shilling (UGX) for both deposits and withdrawals.
A list of licensed bookies in Uganda
There’s nothing riskier than betting on an unlicensed betting site. A majority of them are known for disappearing with players’ funds, especially if the winnings are massive. Much worse, some of them have ill-informed customer reps without sufficient information. To be safe, bet with the following licensed bookies:
- 1xbet.com
- Betway.ug
- Ababet.com
- Betcity.co.ug
- Kagwirawo.co.ug
- Premierbetuganda.com
- U-bet.co.ug
- Fortebet.ug
- Betpawa.ug
- Kingssportsbet.com
- Championbet.ug
- Sba.co.ug
- Topbet.ug
- Elitebet.co.ug
- Saharagames.com
Sports betting operators in Uganda where taxes don’t apply
Players in Uganda who get to place their bets on licensed betting operators are always concerned about how they can avoid the 15% tax suppose they strike it lucky. On the other hand, those betting on unlicensed foreign bookies are exempted from such taxes.
The reason for this is simple; foreign bookies aren’t governed by Uganda’s sports betting laws, meaning that they can’t tax players’ winnings. The only way to avoid such huge taxes is to place bets on international operators lacking a local license.
Deposits and withdrawals when betting in Uganda
Most of the time, bettors will go for fast, secure, and convenient payment options when engaging in some sort of online sports betting. Luckily enough, bookies seem to have noticed this including those that accept Ugandan players. Airtel Money, Africell Money, MTN Mobile Money, and M-Sente feature as the most popular payment method used by most players and bookies alike in Uganda. All of these four are local payment platforms. 1XBet is the only foreign bookie that accepts Airtel Money for deposits and withdrawals.
Since other international bookmakers don’t accept any of the four local payment options, Ugandan bettors willing to place bets with them had no choice but to consider other alternatives. Lately, e-wallet options such as Skrill and Neteller are gaining massive popularity in Uganda as alternative payment options.
Sports betting in Uganda: Future forecasts
The future of online sports betting in Uganda looks somewhat bright. Even though the current betting market is regulated and dominated by local bookies, much is expected in the near future. As things stand now, only Betway and 1XBet are the two foreign bookmakers that have managed to effectively localize their operations to fit the Ugandan sports betting market.
Despite Uganda’s long-serving president (Yoweri Museveni) threat to ban any gambling-related activities throughout Uganda in January 2019, nothing substantial has been achieved.
Looking at Uganda’s sports betting industry, you’ll notice that online betting domestically is fast on the rise, especially after the reduction of tax rates for operators from 35% down to 20%. Better yet, such massive reduction in taxations indicates the government’s intention to make sports betting appealing in a bid to attract international bookies to apply for local licenses and offer their services to Ugandan bettors.
A full list of Ugandan betting sites
- 22BET – 22BET offers bettors more than 1,000 live events daily, the cashout option, and a 95% payout on top events.
- 1XBET – here, bettors are assured of 1,000 daily live matches, Asian Handicaps, and more than 50 sports to bet on.
- 888sport – besides having a bet builder, players can enjoy more than 10,000 live events monthly, and more than 40 sports to place bets on.
- 1xBit – at 1xbit, there are more than 250 extra markets, multi-view, and plenty of special bets and outrights.
- BETWINNER – here, there are bets on horse racing available, 98%+ on tennis matches, and more than 1000 pre-match events daily.
- BWIN – this bookie offers its customers a chance to bet on card and corners in addition to more than 50 sports to bet on. It also has the ‘edit my bet’ feature.
- Bet365 – besides being ideal for football fans, this bookie offers several Asian handicap markets and more than 150 extra bets on top leagues.
- UNIBET – UNIBET offers more than 250,000 pre-match events per year, 96%+ on Asian handicaps and 10,000 live events per month.
- Melbet – those willing to bet in anonymity can use this bookie. Still, this bookie promises players extra security when placing bets in addition to consisting of cash out and partial cash out to bettors.
- BonkersBet – this bookie offers bettors more than 300 football markets, Asian handicaps, and more than 45 sports to bet on.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which are some of the best betting apps in Uganda?Almost all bookies have their individual betting apps. However, some of them are irresponsive and take too long to load. By far, though, the best are those administered by Bet365 and 1XBet.
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Which the leading football betting sites in Uganda so far?There are many sports betting sites in Uganda that provide bets on football daily as many Ugandans love football. The best football betting sites that edge all the rest is Bet365 based on their high odds here.
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Can I find any bookmakers in Uganda that offer Swahili and accept Ugandan shilling?There are quite a number of them. 22Bet, 1XBet, and Betwinner accept Ugandan shilling and offer Swahili. On the other hand, Melbet accepts Ugandan shilling though it lacks Swahili.
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Which betting sites offer its customers free bets in Uganda?By far, 1XBet is a reputable bookie known for free bets and several other attractive promotions. Also, you'll find free bets at 22Bet, provided you sign up with them.
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Which one is better between 1XBet and Betpawa?Both of them are top licensed and reputable sportsbooks offering their services to Ugandan bettors. However, in terms of football odds and a variety of markets, 1XBet towers Betpawa.
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Are players from Uganda accepted by Betway?Absolutely! Betway ug accepts local Ugandan bettors. This bookie is fully licensed by the country's National Gaming Board, and Ugandan bettors can freely sign up with them.
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Can I access Betin from Uganda?Unfortunately, that's impossible. At the moment, Betin seems to have ceased its operations in Uganda, meaning that Ugandan bettors cannot access it at the moment.
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Can Ugandan players bet on Campobet?Again, Campobet is one of the most reputable international bookies that do not accept local Ugandan players. The reason is that this bookie doesn't operate in Uganda at the moment.
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Are Ugandan players accepted at Betmaster?Yes. Betmaster accepts local players, and it's among the first major foreign bookies that serve Ugandan bettors locally.