Ghanaians go ‘hard’ on NDC’s Ato Forson over proposal to ban sports betting

Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has said the government should be looking at banning sports betting rather than taxing it to make revenue.

The Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam constituency is of the opinion that sports betting is destroying the youths in the Ghanaian society and imposing more tax is a form of endorsement by the government.

He stated that the government should be looking at restricting betting in the country or ban it outright.

He added that running a country is not all about money but also about preserving societal values.

But Ghanaians on social media are not enthused with the suggestion from the former Deputy Minister of Finance to the government.

Some are saying if the government provides them with better alternative jobs, sports betting will not be an option. Others say betting is the only form of survival for them.

The government in its 2021 Budget presented to Parliament an estimated annual revenue loss of over GHS 300 million due to leakages in the gaming industry.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry for the Interior have been tasked to co-supervise the gaming industry and consult with stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive policy to improve revenue mobilisation from this source.

Below are some of the reaction: