The Head of the Entrepreneurship and Finance Department at Kumasi Technical University (KSTU), Dr. Solomon Fokuo Kwarteng, has expressed his disapproval of the government’s decision to abolish the betting tax in the 2025 budget, adding that the removal of the betting tax will destroy the future of Ghanaian youth.
According to Dr. Fokuo-Kwarteng, the abolition of the betting tax in the 2025 budget, which was assented to by President John Mahama, will encourage Ghanaians to abandon their jobs and turn to betting as a means of making money.
Speaking on OTEC FM’s breakfast show dubbed ‘Nyansapo’ on Thursday, April 3, 2025, Dr. Fokuo-Kwarteng argued that while betting may yield financial gains for some, the youth should be discouraged from engaging in it.
However, he believes the government’s decision to remove the betting tax will only encourage young people to abandon their jobs and focus on gambling.
He stated, “If the president had asked for my opinion, I would have said, Your Excellency, because of one pattern, this game of chance becomes part and parcel of our culture. It kills our spirit for hard work. It encourages the seeking of wealth in the shortest way.”
“The cancellation of the betting tax says a lot to us… betting is a scam. We should not encourage the idea of abolishing the betting tax,” he told the programme, which was hosted by My Isaac Osei Akoto, aka Knau.
The betting tax, introduced in August 2023, imposed a 10% levy on gambling winnings and aimed to discourage excessive gambling while boosting domestic revenue.
However, it was abolished in March 2025 by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as part of broader efforts to eliminate “nuisance taxes,” fulfilling a campaign promise by President John Dramani Mahama.
The move was widely celebrated by bettors and gaming operators across Ghana.
President John Dramani Mahama, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, assented to a set of amended bills from Parliament, effectively abolishing the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), the betting tax, the Emissions Tax, among other related bills.
Despite public excitement over the tax removal, Dr. Fokuo-Kwarteng, a Senior Lecturer, expressed concern about its potential social consequences.
He warned that removing the tax could encourage young people to rely on gambling instead of hard work and skill development.
“We must work and earn our living. Through work, we develop skills and take responsibility,” he emphasized.
He added that such practices conflict with religious teachings and could erode societal values centered on effort and diligence.
To him, this tax shouldn’t have been eliminated, asking why one should stake money on a soccer game, win, and not pay any tax, but still pay income tax on gains from hard work.
“I don’t agree, and I believe I will not change my mind about my position on this (betting tax) anytime,” he stated.
