When Betting Takes Over: Ugandan Students Pay the Price

[Da Dona]

Uganda’s growing betting industry is raising concerns over its impact on students, with some reportedly losing tuition money and struggling to complete their university education.

A lecturer at Kampala International University, spoke to New vision on condition of anonymity, said some students who were expected to graduate in 2018 had still not completed their studies after losing tuition fees through betting.
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“If you move around betting companies situated on this Gaba Road, you would wonder. Students cannot concentrate. They are always there betting,” the lecturer said.​

The lecturer added that similar patterns had been observed at universities across the country, raising concerns about the effect of gambling on students’ academic progress and financial stability.

The revelations highlight the potential cost of Uganda’s betting boom, as students risk money meant for tuition and other essential needs in the hope of winning bigger sums.

How can Uganda address the growing impact of betting on students and protect their education?​