Majority leader justifies government’s decision to place 10% tax on betting, lottery winnings

The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has defended the decision by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government to tax lottery and bet winnings.

Speaking in an interview on Angel FM, on Thursday, August 10, 2023, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, before defending the government's decision, said that he does not believe in betting.

According to the Majority Leader, he believes in hard work adding that betting and lottery only make people lazy.

“I don’t believe in betting. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work and sweating to get money… Let’s be serious. As for me, I’m against betting coming into the country. I don’t support it because it doesn’t encourage hard work.

“As an individual, I don’t engage in lottery because I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in luck. Work hard so God will bless it,” he said in Twi.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has served notices to persons who engage in sports betting and lottery about the enforcement of a 10% tax on all earnings stemming from these activities.

The policy is scheduled to become effective on August 15. This tax strategy falls in line with the government's overarching goal of expanding the tax base and strengthening domestic revenue generation.

The advent of this taxation policy gained traction subsequent to the parliamentary approval of three new bills in March 2023.

These legislative enactments encompass the Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill 2022, and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.

As the roll-out date looms, the GRA is taking proactive measures to advise individuals participating in sports betting and lottery engagements to remain well-informed about the forthcoming policy shift and to adhere to it.

Watch the interview below:

BETTING TAX

Majority leader in Parliament, Hon Kyei Mensah Bonsu supports tax on betting.

Says he detests betting because it doesn’t encourage hard and that those who say betting should be seen as work should know that stealing is also someone’s work.

Advises the youth to… pic.twitter.com/f6zslhvM5e

— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) August 10, 2023