Parliament on Thursday received the Income Tax Amendment Bill (Act 896), 2025, which seeks to abolish the 10 per cent withholding tax on betting winnings from lottery.
The Bill, laid before the House by Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has been referred to the Finance Committee for further consideration and reporting.
In a brief comment, Dr Forson emphasised that the proposed tax amendment is in line with the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s manifesto promise to remove the controversial tax on bet winnings.
The tax, which took effect in August 2023, was introduced by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government as part of efforts to widen the tax net.
The Bill also seeks to remove the 1.5 per cent withholding tax on unprocessed gold from small-scale mining, a move that is expected to provide relief to players in the artisanal mining sector.
The imposition of the betting tax sparked intense public debate, with critics arguing that it was an undue burden on the youth, who form the majority of bettors in Ghana.
The controversy escalated when former Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, denied that the NPP government had implemented the tax. However, during a media engagement on the 2025 Budget, he retracted his statement and apologised for the error.
Despite the earlier denial, government records confirm that the NPP administration collected GH¢80 million from the betting tax.
In September 2023, Mr Edward Gyambra of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) disclosed that the Authority had recorded GH¢15 million per month from the betting tax, with a projection to collect GH¢60 million over the period.
The proposed tax repeal is expected to receive widespread attention as Parliament deliberates on its potential economic and social implications.
Source: Graphic Online