With Ghana’s Gaming Commission Governing Board now sworn in, we explore its wide-ranging mandate to curb revenue losses from unlicensed betting sites by increasing the casino and betting channelisation rate.
The African continent is projected to lose a staggering $11 billion in potential tax revenue by 2029 unless bold regulatory reforms are implemented to curb the dominance of illegal offshore betting platforms. African nations must ensure that regulation is either introduced or modified to boost the growth of legal iGaming operators.
That was the warning issued by a prominent African iGaming technology provider at the Gaming Tech Summit Africa in Nairobi recently.
With regulators, government leaders, payment providers, and gaming operators gathered for the summit, which ran from the 2nd to the 6th of June, the message from a preeminent delegate was simple yet profound:
Revenue leakages aren’t just theoretical. They are deeply personal. They represent clinics unbuilt, schools unfunded and infrastructure delayed.
African bettors wager hundreds of millions of dollars annually through unlicensed offshore websites, which are operated by entities that pay no local taxes, create no jobs, and do not reinvest in local economies.
Higher channelisation, or a higher proportion of betting activity that flows through licensed operators, means more tax revenue, consumer protection and local reinvestment, but poor tax and regulatory structures are driving bettors to the so-called “black market”.
Currently, taxes and deposit fees are also punishing licensed platforms and encouraging off-grid gambling, so smarter, more attractive tax policies are needed for legal operators.
Recent research revealed that Africa's iGaming industry could grow to $22 billion by 2029 if 90% of activity is channelled through legal operators, which is only achievable with tax rates in the sweet spot of 15 to 25% of GGR.
Ghana is already leading the charge, having scrapped its 10% withholding tax on winnings and plans to eliminate its 1% mobile money levy in 2025, which is seen as a clear move to boost legal market participation.
Ghana’s online gambling industry is experiencing exceptional growth. With the stakes higher than ever, the pressure is mounting on the Commission to clean up, modernise, and better regulate the expanding gaming sector.
The country has ushered in a new era for its gambling industry with the official inauguration of an 11-member Governing Board for the Gaming Commission of Ghana, sworn in by the Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, a pivotal step towards meaningful regulatory controls and responsible gaming.
The newly constituted board has been handed a pressing and wide-ranging mandate. From clamping down on unlicensed online casino and sportsbook operators to prevent revenue flight, to curbing harmful gambling practices, the message is stark: overhaul and modernise Ghana’s burgeoning gambling industry.
The aim would be to bring it in line with international best practices, advancing the interests of the industry and its players, and counteract tax revenue losses through increased law enforcement efforts.
With the stage now set, whether this new leadership can fulfil its ambitious mandate remains to be seen. However, with the market's forecasted growth and the Commission’s dedication to proactive reform, the future of gambling in Ghana is bright.
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