By: Roberta Gayode Modin
Betting is a source of income for majority of the youth in Ghana. Therefore, the news of the government’s decision to impose a 10% tax on earnings from lotteries, games of chance winning, and sports betting at the point of payout means a reduction in their income.
As if to add more pain to the injury of punters, social media influencer, Joshua Buernotey Boye-Doe alias, Kalyjay has called on government to increase the tax rate to generate more revenue to accelerate development.
“I personally think the 10% withholding tax on betting win is too small. If we want Ghana to get on the same level as the UK and USA we should be willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Next time they should make it 25%. My humble opinion, please don’t insult me, I don’t win bet”, he said in a Twitter post.
Meanwhile, most youth have taken to social media to register their displeasure about the government’s decision.
“Betting is the main reason why the youth of country is still calm. The hope these betting companies give to the youth every weekends and sometimes midweek is the main reason why they (the youth) have not been rebellious in the midst of these bad governance”, reads a post by Eunice Ofori on Twitter.
According to the Gaming Commission of Ghana (2017), 34% of the youth engaged in sports betting in 2014, increasing to 70% in 2016.