The Ghana Revenue Authority recently announced that starting from August 15, 2023, a 10 per cent tax would be imposed on winnings from lottery games, casinos, and marketing promotional raffles. This means that all earnings from betting, gaming, lotto, and other games of chance will be subject to a 10 per cent withholding tax, which will be considered as a final tax.
Following this announcement, numerous bettors, particularly the youth, have strongly criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, labelling the tax as cruel, unnecessary, and a threat to their livelihoods. They argue that the government has failed to create sufficient job opportunities, while President Akufo-Addo and his administration have introduced this betting tax, which they believe will deprive them of their daily income.
In relation to these criticisms, the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), issued a statement on August 16, 2023, demanding the NPP government abolish the tax. The NDC has declared their intention to stage protests to express their dissatisfaction with the 10 per cent tax on betting.
Addressing the NDC’s claims and the concerns of the bettors, Alidu Seidu, the former Municipal Chief Executive of Asokore Mampong, firmly stated that no matter how many times the youth or the NDC demonstrate, the 10 per cent betting tax will not be repealed.
“We don’t care how many times you will do picketing. If you like go to Aflao or … we don’t care. We won’t abolish the betting tax.”
The 10% betting tax started yesterday, August 15, 2023. The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is hoping to accumulate about GH¢1.2 billion in the initial stages of implementation of the taxation of lottery operators.
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com / Joseph Marfo
