George Akom, a prospective parliamentary candidate for the Sekyere Afram Plains constituency in the Ashanti region, has proposed a reduction in the current 10 per cent tax imposed on betting, lottery, and games of chance.
The government has recently implemented a new tax policy that affects individuals who engage in betting, games of chance, and lottery activities. This tax entails a 10% deduction from all winnings and is applicable to local participants.
However, this tax has faced opposition from bettors across the country who are dissatisfied with the 10% deduction.
During a panel discussion on Oyerepa Breakfast Time, the NPP man did not support the scrapping of the 10% and suggested a reduction.
“The point I am making is that the country is a circular country. I don’t support you when you say betting on the lottery and others is sinful or right. Some of these taxes are necessary evils in the sense that not everybody stakes a bet or plays the lottery. But the point that I will consider is the rate of the tax. There should be taxation, but it has to be reduced.”
According to the Senior Assistant Registrar of GCTU, the youth will still bet no matter the rate of tax imposed on them.
“If they are considering asking the youth to stop betting, they will still bet irrespective of the tax rate imposed on it. When you are stating something as a penetration strategy, you have to start it at a lower rate, and later you’ll increase it. There’s no problem with that. That is why I don’t support the deuterium aspect of increasing the rate at the initial stage.” He told Kwesi Parker-Wilson, host of the show.
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com/KAB
