Corporate Social Disclosure Among Gaming Operators Below Average

A Research Analyst with Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), Paul Lakuma has said that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that entails mandatory or voluntary corporate social disclosure is below average among gaming operators.

This was in reference to the 2016 EPRC study titled “Socio-Economic Effects of Gambling: Evidence from Kampala City Uganda” which among others assessed the adequacy and effectiveness of the current regulatory framework in regulating the gambling sector.

“Disclosure was poor since 40% outlets visited did not display their licenses, 27% were compliant and had valid license while 29% had obsolete licenses and machines whose logarithms were either dysfunctional or tuned to suit the desires of the gaming mogul,” he said.

Lakuma was presenting a CSR assessment within the gambling industry during the second day of the Betting and i-Gaming East Africa Summit held at Serena Hotel Kampala, from 10-11th April 2017.

Manzi Tumubweinee, Chairman National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board said that once regulated, gaming and sports betting would potentially contribute revenue to government. He said that over Shs. 34 billion was collected in taxes from gambling activities last year.

In her presentation on transparency and accountability in sports betting industry, Christina Thakor-Rankin, the Principal Consultant 1710 Gaming Limited noted that sports betting is today linked to deadly crimes such as terrorism.

Her observation correlates with most global reports, which indicate that conduits collect huge sums of money by placing bets on predetermined matches thus winning hefty rewards, which in turn facilitate illegal activities.

Abaati Mwesigye, a Ugandan Counterterrorism Police Officer acknowledged that there are a lot of illegal activities in sports betting premises. He urged gamers to report suspicious acts to help fight terrorism.