GHANA Law and Practice Contributed by: David Yaw Danquah, Legalstone Solicitors PRUC
1. Introduction 1.1 Current Outlook and Recent Changes Current Outlook Gambling remains a legitimate legal business in Ghana under the regulatory supervision of the Gaming Com- mission of Ghana, and the gaming industry is experi- encing significant growth, which presents enormous investment opportunities. The sports betting and casi- no business in Ghana stand out with strong poten- tial. There are about 73 licensed gaming operators within the country, with global giants including 1xBet, Betway, MyBet Africa, SportyBet, MelBet, and Super- Bet. With advancements in technology and increased internet accessibility, Ghana is definitely a destination for investment in Africa’s games-of-chance industry and a leapfrog to the West Africa market. The industry has become an essential source of revenue for the government, which, in the quest to collect the necessary revenue, in April 2023, passed the Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2023 (Act 1094). Among others, the Act introduced a gaming revenue tax on gross gaming revenue (GGR) of 20%. It also introduced a 10% tax on winnings from the gaming industry, which has subsequently been abolished. Cumulatively, these positive industry regulatory changes, coupled with an advanced mobile money interoperability payment system, have had a posi- tive impact. Additionally, the significant growth in the industry can be attributed to the youthful population, the love of sports by the youth and an intense inter- net penetration within the Republic. The industry’s popularity is also attributed to the popularity of many European Leagues like the English Premier League, which is popular among football lovers – the youthful population. The above, coupled with massive indus- try advertisements, has exponentially impacted the industry’s growth. The growth in the fintech space in Ghana has also positively impacted the gaming industry. Gaming regulators, in ensuring responsible gaming in Ghana, have taken practical steps, including KYC measures, to regulate, control, monitor and supervise the opera- tions of games of chance in Ghana.
Recent Changes In 2023, the Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2023 (Act 1094) imposed a 20% tax on GGR from betting, gam- ing and other games of chance, and a 10% withhold- ing tax (WHT) on players’ winnings. However, with- holding tax on players’ winnings has been repealed under Income Tax (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1129). This change took effect on 2 April 2025, allowing win- ners to receive their full prize amount without any tax deductions at the point of payout. This is a significant development for the industry. Another significant emerging regulatory outlook is the proposed enactment of the Virtual Asset Service Pro- viders (VASP) Law to regulate cryptocurrency in Gha- na. For years, Ghana has expressed its aversion to, or deep-seated disinclination toward, embracing the emerging crypto market, which is an essential linchpin for payments in the regulated gaming industry else- where. This stance has come to an end. Now, Ghana has taken a bold, pragmatic step to enact legislation regulating the cryptocurrency market, bringing cer- tainty and openness. It is intended that the proposed law will empower the Bank of Ghana to license, regu- late and supervise the operation of entities active in the digital space. What remains unclear is the extent to which the Bank of Ghana will retain the powers to regulate other entities involved in the use of virtual assets, including the games-of-chance industry par- ticipants, whose regulatory authority is the Gaming Commission. The Gaming Act 2006 (Act 721) of Ghana does not mention online gaming. Nonetheless, a company licensed to operate a game of chance has the right to establish an online gaming and land-based opera- tion within the jurisdiction of Ghana. The regulatory authority has also sought to provide a clear pathway for the licensing of online games of chance in Ghana. Act 721 explains a game of chance to include a game other than a lottery in which participants, in anticipa- tion of winning a reward on the results of the game, which depends on luck, and which cannot be deter- 2. Jurisdictional Overview 2.1 Online Gambling
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