Deputy Minister-designate for Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has provided further clarification on the government’s decision to abolish the 10% betting tax, as announced by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in Parliament on March 11, 2025.
“Mr. Speaker, We’ll abolish the 10% withholding tax on winnings from lottery, otherwise known as the “Betting Tax” the finance minister said while presenting the budget statement sparking controversy.
The announcement sparked debate, with the minority in parliament arguing that they never implemented the 10% withholding tax on lottery as put by the finance minister.
Former Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei-Asare, reacting to the development, maintained that the tax was never implemented under the previous administration, as the National Lottery Authority (NLA) had halted its enforcement. She called for the full budget details to clarify the wording of the abolishment.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, she insisted Dr Ato Forson, may have gotten the wording of the tax wrong and they are prepared to have that clarified.
“The current minister of finance mentioned that we are going to abolish the 10% withholding tax on lottery, also known as betting tax. Unless they bring the actual bill to parliament for us to see the wordings. But from what the minister said, the betting tax has been removed. The withholding tax on the lottery is different from the income tax on betting. So, that was what Dr Amin was referring to when he said we never collected the withholding tax on the lottery because we never implemented it,” she stated.
“So, we want to see the amendment they will bring to parliament and if they do and we realise that it is the betting tax they want to abolish, we will help them with the wording and they will do just that.”
However, Thomas Ampem Nyarko assured the public that the government is indeed scrapping the 10% betting tax winnings, as promised before the elections.
He emphasised that the specific details of the amendment will be presented in Parliament, where lawmakers can review and finalise the wording.
“I want to assure Abena that the one we are removing is the popular betting tax. The details will come to the floor and they will see it. We are talking about the one that we mentioned prior to the elections and the one that we have consistently talked about.
