Sports Betting in Uganda On The Rise
Uganda is a nation that really loves sports – both watching them, and betting on them. Top-tier European and British Football leagues are a particular favourite and have been for the past few decades. Bookmakers have been operating in the country for some time, and its network of land-based sportsbooks is extensive. The craze seems set to continue!
A Regulated Industry
All legal operators in the nation are licensed and regulated by the National Gaming Board of Uganda, assuring players of safe, fair betting opportunities.
An increasing number of bookmakers are also accepting online wagers, which has been especially helpful in the lockdown measures that were enforced following the COVID-19 outbreak. With several legitimate options, Ugandans are able to resist the temptation to put themselves at risk and play at unlawful sites.
Markets and Coverage
With most sports leagues and events cancelled or postponed due to the novel coronavirus and lockdown, wagering options in Uganda and the rest of the world have been quite limited of late. For bettors who have just discovered the advantages of online betting, this may have been especially disappointing. Happily, the world is resuming normal activities and though social distancing measures are still in place, many leagues have resumed.
However, it should be noted that competitions and events around the world are restarting slowly, often one at a time, so markets and coverage are still more limited than they are when bookmakers are operating at full capacity. Rather than having thousands of markets, matches and races to choose from each day, Ugandan customers now have around 50 or 100 at their fingertips each day – and those figures include reserve leagues.
Situation Eased by eSports
In the vacuum that the cancellation of live, physical games created, eSports have filled the void for any people. Bettors can predict winners and specific outcomes on massive online player games, which can be held without the risk of infection. The natural social distancing that eSports allows meant that many contests went ahead, even at the height of lockdown. Ugandan bettors particularly enjoy DOTA 2 (Defence of the Ancients 2), League of Legends (LoL) and Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).
The markets in eSports are as appealing as in land-based physical activities, and include Totals on kills, handicap markets, outright winners and Propositions. To be able to watch the games live, and get the most from their online gambling, bettors need to register for basic streaming packages. These are relatively affordable, and mean the events are always available for viewing – something not always possible with regular sports since television rights can be exorbitantly expensive.
Field- and track-based sports and races are so popular among Ugandans that, as they are resumed, they will probably become more popular than eSports betting once again. However, gamblers in this country and indeed around the world are probably glad to know that, if another lockdown crisis presents itself, they will be able to turn to eSports to satisfy their needs to analyse players, place wagers, and win.
