Ugandan Betting Dips Slightly as Online Casino Play Gains Ground

The Ugandan online gambling market is showing some interesting changes, with sports betting still leading the charge, but other verticals are beginning to reduce the gap. 

New figures from Blask, the iGaming market-intelligence and analytics platform, point to a slight downturn in betting demand over the past year, while online casino activity has moved in the opposite direction. 

These latest figures offer an interesting look at how Ugandan players’ betting interests are shifting, and though not overly dramatic, the shift is clearly evident.

Sports Betting Still Leads the Field 

Online betting remained by far the largest measured iGaming category in Uganda between July 2025 and June 2026, despite a modest decline in demand.

Blask recorded a 5.89% year-on-year decline, with the betting category registering an Index of 7.03 million. The figures come against a backdrop of a changing market, with Blask’s wider Index rising during parts of 2025, boosted by a busy football calendar, before demand slowed somewhat from October onwards.

Football remained an important part of the picture, however, with World Cup qualifiers, the Premier League, Champions League and Uganda Premier League seasons all providing plenty of action during the period.

Ugandans’ passion for the game seemingly knows no bounds, and football continues to provide a strong foundation for the country’s betting market.  

Casino Market Share Edges Higher

While betting demand slipped moderately, real money casinos recorded one of the strongest increases among Uganda’s gaming verticals.

Blask put online casino demand at 68.49 thousand for July 2025 to June 2026, representing a 66.56% increase year on year. The figure is a Blask Index score, rather than a count of players or bets.

Other smaller categories also recorded growth. Fantasy gaming rose 21.02% to 259.1 thousand, while online poker increased 6.72% to 3.65 thousand. Racing was up 4.89% to 1.07 thousand.

In other words, the figures indicate a changing market as opposed to a general decline, where betting remains dominant, but online casino games and several smaller verticals are attracting greater interest.

Who Makes Up the Player Base?

Blask’s April 2026 customer profile provides interesting insight into the Ugandan iGaming audience.

Around 70% of customers were aged between 18 and 34, while people with university or postgraduate qualifications accounted for 55%. Wage earners and self-employed customers made up 70% of the profile, suggesting a largely working-age audience.

Sports betting remained the most popular betting genre, with 70% of customers engaging in it, followed by slots and instant-win games at 55%. Meanwhile, 50% played live dealer, card and dice games.

The reasons for playing also differed between verticals. Sports bettors mostly cited passing the time, while relaxation was the leading motivation for casino players. Convenience also featured strongly, with 55% of casino customers citing the ability to play video slots, virtual sports, and jackpot games from home.

Taken together, the Blask figures paint an interesting picture of the Ugandan market. Betting remains dominant, while online casino demand is growing, but the figures do not yet point to a massive swing in player preferences.

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