Ghana’s Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, announced the abolishment of the 10% withholding tax on lottery winnings, commonly referred to as the betting tax, during the 2025 budget reading on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The move, effective immediately, aims to alleviate the financial burden on individuals who win from betting activities.
However, the announcement was quickly countered by former Finance Minister Dr. Amin Adam, who claimed that the previous administration never collected the betting tax in the first place. “We never collected betting tax. The Finance Minister is deceiving the people of Ghana,” Dr. Adam stated.
Dr. Adam’s comment sparked controversy, with some Ghanaians calling for a probe into the erstwhile government’s collection of revenue generated from the 10% betting withholding tax. Others criticized Dr. Adam, accusing him of attempting to deceive the public.
In a Facebook post, Dr. Adam clarified his statement, saying that the tax applies to lottery wins and betting wins, but the previous administration never collected the tax on lottery wins. However, his explanation did little to quell the controversy.
The abolishment of the betting tax has thrown the spotlight on the ongoing tussle between the current government and the opposition over fiscal policies. While the Finance Minister’s announcement may be seen as a relief for betting enthusiasts, the controversy surrounding its implementation has raised questions about transparency and accountability in tax collection.
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