Ban sports betting, don't tax it - Ato Forson tells govt

Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has said the government should be looking at banning sports betting rather than taxing it to make revenue.

The Member of Parliament Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam constituency is of the opinion that sports betting is destroying the youths in the Ghanaian society and imposing more tax is a form of endorsement by the government.

He stated that the government should be looking at restricting betting in the country or ban it upright.

"I read in the budget that they want to be looking at the betting industry to generate money and my problem with this is simple. Ghana today, we are complaining that this gambling is destroying our youth. I have read a number of articles on this. I would have thought the government will come out with a policy to restrict gambling and to even ban it,” Ato Forson posited.

He added that running a country is not all about money but also about preserving societal values.

“To run a country is not all about money because you need to preserve society as well. England today as part of their 2016 budget was paying mothers who are ready to stay home and take care of their children because they believe their society is drifting," he said on Joy News.