Ghana’s DACF boss warns against excessive betting for income
The government plans to partner with tech stakeholders to implement digital safety measures.
Ghana.- As the popularity of sports betting continues to grow among Ghana’s youth, Michael Harry Yamson, administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), has issued a warning about the dangers of relying on betting as a source of income.
According to Yamson, betting should be viewed as a form of entertainment, not a means of financial support or livelihood.
The administrator’s comments come amid growing concerns from civil society and faith-based organisations about the potential social implications of the government’s decision to abolish betting tax.
Yamson explained that the goal of the tax exemption is to boost economic activity in the betting sector, not promote excessive or irresponsible gambling. He said: “The betting tax was seen as frustrating an industry, and we have removed it to drive that industry and to drive the volume of economic activity in that sector.
“That said, the idea is not to increase irresponsible behaviour. What we firmly believe is that betting is a leisure activity; betting is not meant to be a livelihood. And so we subscribe to the removal of the betting tax, at the same time that we are careful to make it clear that betting is a leisure activity—it is not meant to be something that becomes the livelihood of anybody.”
Yamson also called on betting operators to prevent minors from accessing their platforms, as underage gambling is a growing concern in Ghana.
Yamson further revealed that the government plans to partner with tech stakeholders to implement digital safety measures, such as Ghana Card integration, to restrict underage access to online betting platforms.
He said: “We also eventually need to work with those in the technology space to ensure that even when people go online to bet, we can use mechanisms like the Ghana Card to prevent young people from gaining access to betting sites.”
