The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) in Uganda held a stakeholder engagement session with local media outlets at Bohmah Hotel, Gulu.
The meeting was attended by reporters, writers, media analysts, producers, and station managers from print, online and broadcast media outlets across Gulu, Kitgum, Lira and parts of West Nile.
The NLGRB explained how it was trying to raise public awareness on responsible gambling measures, and how media outlets could help support this message by broadcasting it further.
A spokesperson for the NLGRB said: “Our main mandate as the Board is to protect the public from gaming-related harm.
“The media is one of the key partners who help us fulfil this mandate through factual reporting and awareness creation.”
Some of the media participants present asked the NLGRB how they were actively trying to fight gambling-related harm in communities, such as preventing children from playing.
Members from the NLGRB explained that the Board is tackling the issue through a combination of regulation, awareness, and collaboration.
The Board also emphasised the importance of continued training and sensitisation to equip journalists with the knowledge and skills required to safeguard their communities from gambling-related harm.
This is not the first sensitisation effort from the NLGRB, as the Board has been holding regular events in schools and markets across Uganda to spread awareness about responsible gambling.
The latest initiative was held at Kitooro Market in Entebbe, which features over one thousand stalls with heavy footfall throughout the day.
These sessions were created in collaboration with mental health experts from local hospitals and encouraged people to set personal limits on time and expenditure while visiting gambling establishments or websites.
The NLGRB was established in 2016 under the Lotteries and Gaming Act, 2016, (now Cap 334)
