Citing a directive from President Yoweri Museveni, the minister said the government will also not renew licenses for gaming companies once they expire.
“We have received a directive from President Museveni to stop licensing sports betting, gaming and gambling companies,” Bahati declared.
He said the directive is geared towards addressing concerns that many Ugandan youths are wasting their lives on betting on football games.
Bahati added that the government wants to ensure that Ugandans work their way to prosperity, instead of expecting sudden cash, based on speculation and uncertainty.
According to critics, many Ugandan youths are trapped in a vicious cycle of betting, staking their little earnings while believing that they might win a jackpot in every stake.
They add that online betting has reduced productivity among Uganda’s youngsters, sinking families further into poverty.
Statistics indicate that 70% of the youths in Uganda now have turned their lives to gambling, instead of schooling and looking for jobs.
Worst of all, they jam the betting halls from the very early hours.