Ghana’s Parliament has approved the repeal of the controversial Betting Tax, along with taxes on gaming, lotteries, and the 1.5% withholding tax on unprocessed gold.
This follows the passage of the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on March 26, 2025. The 10% Betting Tax, originally introduced to regulate gambling and boost government revenue, faced strong resistance from bettors and gaming operators, who deemed it unfair.
During the 2024 election campaign, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) pledged to abolish the tax, calling it a “nuisance tax.” In line with this promise, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced its removal in the 2025 budget statement, a move now ratified by Parliament.
E-Levy and Other Tax Removals
Parliament also approved the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Repeal Bill, 2025, effectively scrapping the unpopular digital tax. Introduced on March 29, 2022, the E-Levy imposed a charge on mobile money transfers and online payments, but failed to generate the expected revenue and faced public backlash.
Dr. Forson, in his March 11 budget presentation, reaffirmed the government’s plan to eliminate burdensome taxes, including the Emissions Tax and the COVID-19 Levy, as part of a broader effort to streamline the tax system and stimulate economic growth.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) first implemented the 10% withholding tax on lotto, betting, and gaming winnings in December 2023 under the Income Tax (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1094). Officially enforced from January 1, 2024, the tax was widely unpopular, with many calling for its repeal.
With Parliament’s approval of these repeal bills, tax burdens on bettors, digital transactions, and small-scale gold traders are expected to ease—a move welcomed by the public.
The bills now await President John Mahama’s assent to become law.
