10% Betting Tax Will Improve Development, Public Health – Anyaa Sowutuom MP

The Member of Parliament for the Anyaa Sowutuom constituency, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, has defended the government’s introduction of a 10% on betting tax and lottery winnings.

He argued that every country needs revenue to undertake various developmental projects, and that taxing bettors in Ghana is key because the industry is currently not taxed enough.

“Taxation is one of the most important ways of raising revenue apart from loans and governance is dynamic and during the COVID period, the government realised that many people were spending time online betting and saw it will not be out of place to look at this space too,” the Anyaa Sowutuom MP told Selorm Adonoo on The Big Issue on Citi FM and Citi TV.

“This tax is going to help us improve public health. Any revenue that government gets goes to help people at the base. I want to beg the people to reason with the government because if you go to the gaming centre and the electricity is off, it will be something they will call on the government to rectify and so having stable electricity is important,” Mr. Adomako added.

He also urged that “there should be accountability for every penny taken, and I am optimistic that is what will happen with this tax.”

The introduction of the 10% betting tax, which is part of the government’s efforts to raise revenue, has been met with criticism and concern.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth wing has announced a series of actions to force the government to withdraw the 10% betting tax.

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) also disclosed that it hopes to rake in some GH¢400 million from the new gaming tax.