Ghana Market Report
Both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have promised to scrap the betting tax if they win the upcoming elections. NDC
presidential candidate John Mahama said he would abolish the betting tax if elected as president, while the NPP’s Mahamudu Bawumia has also pledged to scrap it.
TAXES ON WINNINGS Both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have promised to scrap the betting tax if they win the upcoming elections. NDC presidential candidate John Mahama said he would abolish the betting tax if elected as president, while the NPP’s Mahamudu Bawumia has also pledged to scrap it. In August, John Mahama, during a Town Hall meeting reiterated
his stance against the tax. “We’ve talked a lot about this; if we come, we will abolish the betting tax,” Mahama said. “We know that this government has signed a deal with the IMF to initiate the betting tax, but when we come, we will find an alternative revenue source to replace the betting tax.” However, the President of Ghana public policy think tank IMANI-Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has opposed Mahama's decision to abolish the tax saying that lawmakers should reduce the tax rather than abolish it completely. “Despite the economic challenges, I do not agree that we should completely remove taxes on the winning cash of betting. He can revise the tax downwards,” he said. “Some of the boys were complaining and I understood them
because they argue that ‘you are not creating jobs for me as a government, the little joy I get from betting, you tax the joy away’. Of course, we don’t want that, but I think there has to be a middle ground,” he said. Meanwhile Mahamudu Bawumia reaffirmed his pledge to
abolish the betting tax if elected President in the 2024 general elections during the launch of the party’s manifesto.
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY Te National Lottery Authority (NLA) was initially founded in 1958 as the Department of National Lotteries. In 1960, the Lotto and Betting Act 94 was enacted, officially introducing the lottery in Ghana with the objective of generating revenue to support national development. In 2006, the National Lotto Act 722 was passed by Parliament, officially establishing the National Lottery Authority. It now
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Despite the estimated GH¢1.8 billion annual value of Ghana's lottery industry, the NLA captures only about GH¢800m, with illegal operators dominating the market as they pocket over
GH¢1bn annually. Out of approximately 700 illegal lotto companies, mostly in rural areas, only about 20 are registered with the NLA.
holds a legal monopoly over the organisation of lotteries in Ghana and stands as a major contributor to both government revenue and job creation. In September, the NLA issued licenses to 15 Private Lotto Op-
erators (PLOs) as part of efforts to eliminate illegal lottery activities in Ghana. Tis took the total number of licensed PLOs in Ghana to 23, following the licensing of eight companies earlier this year. Tese companies are authorised to operate the NLA’s original 5/90 Game, which is currently paper-based but is expected to transition to Point of Sale (POS) terminals within the next two years as part of their licensing conditions. Gary Nimako Marfo, Chairman of the NLA Board, underscored
the importance of this licensing initiative, calling it a crucial step in regulating the lotto industry. Despite the estimated GH¢1.8 billion annual value of Ghana's lottery industry, the NLA captures only about GH¢800m, with illegal operators dominating the market as they pocket over GH¢1bn annually. Out of approximately 700 illegal lotto companies, mostly in rural areas, only about 20 are registered with the NLA. During the lotto licensing ceremony in September the head of the NLA reassured operators that the goal was not to disrupt their businesses, but to ensure compliance and equitable revenue collection for the government. Marfo also cautioned against illegal lotto operations, urging the newly licensed operators to assist in curbing such practices. He affirmed that only licensed operators are now authorised to operate lotteries in Ghana.
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