Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has rejected claims that his administration introduced the controversial betting tax, stating that the tax was never enforced during his tenure.
Dr. Amin Adam, an NPP legislator, made these comments following the presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
In the budget, Dr. Forson announced the abolition of several taxes, including the Betting Tax and E-Levy, which had sparked significant debate and backlash.
Addressing the media at a press conference organised by the Minority, Dr. Amin Adam called the government’s claims about abolishing the betting tax “unconscionable,” asserting that the tax was never implemented under the Akufo-Addo administration.
“The betting tax they claim to have abolished was never collected. To come and tell Ghanaians that you have abolished something that was never implemented is nothing but deception,” Dr. Adams stated firmly.
The betting tax, which was introduced under the previous government, levied a 10% withholding tax on winnings from sports betting and lottery activities.
During the 2024 general elections, the then-presidential candidate for the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, had promised to abolish the betting tax, along with the E-Levy, if elected.
Dr. Bawumia reiterated this promise during the launch of the NPP’s manifesto in August 2024, stating, “We’ll also reduce withholding tax for small-scale gold exports to 1% to curb smuggling and abolish the Betting Tax.”
But Dr. Amin Adam and other opposition figures maintain that the betting tax was never implemented during the NPP’s administration, and the government’s announcement to abolish it is misleading.
The betting tax controversy remains a sensitive topic, especially after its introduction as part of the 2023 Income Tax Act (Act 1094), which sought to regulate the gambling industry while generating additional revenue for the government.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the government’s handling of the betting tax will shape the future of gambling regulation in the country.
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