Parliament approved the repeal of the Betting Tax under a Certificate of Urgency
The Parliament of Ghana has approved the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, abolishing the 10% withholding tax on betting winnings and the 1.5% withholding tax on unprocessed gold from small-scale mining.
The decision was made during a parliamentary sitting on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, under a Certificate of Urgency, fast-tracking the legislative process.
The bill, tabled by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on March 13, 2025, amends the Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896) and fulfills key promises made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 election campaign.
It reverses taxes introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2023 under the Income Tax (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2023 (Act 1094). The 10% betting tax, imposed on lottery and gaming winnings since August 2023, was widely criticised for burdening the youth and operators in a growing industry.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Dr. Ato Forson confirmed that the repeal applies to all forms of games of chance, including lotteries and sports betting.
Similarly, the 1.5% tax on unprocessed gold, also enacted in 2023, faced opposition due to its impact on small-scale miners, especially amid ongoing debates on illegal mining.
Following the bill’s presentation, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, referred it to the Finance Committee on March 13, 2025.
The committee expedited its review, and Parliament, exercising its authority under Standing Order 119, completed the second reading, consideration, and third reading on Wednesday.
The bill now awaits presidential assent from President John Dramani Mahama, expected within seven days under Article 106(7) of the Constitution.
The repeal aligns with the NDC’s “120-day Social Contract”, aimed at removing “nuisance taxes” and easing economic pressures following the NPP’s tax-heavy policies linked to the 2023 IMF bailout.
According to Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, the repeal affirms the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises to the Ghanaian people.
GA/MA