- Kofi Akpaloo calls betting "evil" and wants higher taxes to discourage youth.
- NPP and NDC candidates promise to scrap betting tax, but Akpaloo opposes.
- Akpaloo accuses candidates of encouraging betting due to inability to create jobs.
- Ghana's sports betting industry sees significant growth, raising concerns.
Presidential aspirant Kofi Akpaloo has expressed his strong stance against sports betting, describing it as “evil” and advocating for increased taxes to discourage the youth from engaging in it. Akpaloo, leader of the Liberal Progressive Party (LPG), believes that instead of scrapping the tax on sports betting, the government should increase it to prevent the youth from gambling.
In January, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) implemented a 10% withholding tax on all lottery and sports betting gross winnings, aiming to generate revenue for the country. However, both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have promised to scrap the betting tax if they win the upcoming elections.
NDC presidential candidate John Mahama and NPP’s Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have pledged to abolish the betting tax, a move Akpaloo strongly opposes. Akpaloo accuses Mahama and Bawumia of being deceptive and encouraging betting because they are not competent enough to create jobs for the youth.
He believes that promising to scrap the betting tax is a ploy to win votes, rather than addressing the root issue of unemployment among the youth. Akpaloo emphasized that betting is a harmful activity that should be discouraged, especially among the youth, who are the future of the country.
The sports betting industry in Ghana has seen significant growth in the last decade, with many betting companies setting up shop in the country. Akpaloo’s stance on betting highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address the issue, rather than just focusing on tax revenue or political gains.
