Anita Tayebwa Rukundo, the wife of Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has applied for a “General Betting Operating License” according to a notice by the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB).
Rukundo and two others, Paul Jean Rwemalla and Tayari Rides Limited, hope to be given leeway and permission by the board to commence operations as soon as possible.
Their firm will be called Eco Bet Limited and has its main offices at Fairway Hotel. It is not clear what kind of betting they will engage in but sources at the board told Bbeg Media they intend to concentrate on sports betting and virtual games.
“It’s largely going to be an online platform where someone can go and place bets on football games or play virtual games,” said one of the sources.
We were unable to reach Rukundo for her comment while the deputy speaker declined to comment on the matter.
While there is no law that stops a spouse of a senior public official from operating a business, there are perception issues in this case that could affect the reputation of the deputy speaker.
The NLGRB reports to Parliament and its operations are scrutinized by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE). There are fears that Tayebwa, being the second most powerful person at Parliament, could flex his muscles in matters concerning NLGRB.
There are 87 licensed betting companies in Uganda as of November this year (see list below).
Sports betting is one of the most lucrative enterprises in Uganda today and many people are angling to get a piece of the pie. In the first half of last year (January to June) Ugandans spent on Shs 2 trillion on sports betting according to figures from the NLGRB. The number is expected to be higher this year.
Yet it is also very destructive economically, socially and mentally. A number of young people, addicted to betting, have committed suicide in Uganda after losing bets. Some have lost property and their livelihood, numerous reports show.
