Ghana’s Parliament has approved the repeal of the controversial Betting Tax, along with taxes on gaming and lotteries, as well as the 1.5 per cent withholding tax on unprocessed gold in stock.
This decision was made following the passage of the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
The Betting Tax and E-levy which was introduced by the previous government as a 10 per cent levy on gross winnings, implemented to regulate gambling and increase government revenue did not receive any positive results but a public out cry.
However, during the 2024 election campaign, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had pledged to abolish the tax, branding it a “nuisance tax”. In keeping with this promise, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced its removal in the 2025 budget statement, a proposal that has now been endorsed by Parliament.
In addition to scrapping the Betting Tax, Parliament has also approved the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Repeal Bill, 2025, effectively abolishing the unpopular digital tax.
The E-Levy, introduced on March 29, 2022, by the previous government, was a tax on electronic transactions, including mobile money transfers and online payments. It was intended to generate revenue for national development.
However, the policy failed to yield the expected financial returns and faced strong opposition from citizens and businesses.
Written By: Adugdaa Awinebuno Joel