The Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare, has observed that burdening stakeholders in the gaming sector with multiple taxes would lead to a situation where they use the "backdoor" to short-change the system and thereby deny the government of needed revenue.
She has therefore asked the Ghana Gaming Commission to streamline taxes in the industry in order to ensure compliance from stakeholders.
The Chief of Staff made the comments at a stakeholders' engagement forum and the unveiling of a new logo for the Ghana Gaming Commission in Accra on Friday, February 22, 2019.
"The gaming industry has the capacity to provide immersed economic benefit for the country," she noted and cited countries like South Africa and Malaysia where the Gaming industry is popular.
A Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kobby Annan, said the Commission was streamlining the licensing regime in order to guard against money laundering, participation by minors and criminals.
To this effect, he said the Commission had taken steps to revoke the license of some betting and casino companies in the country, pointing out that the new regulations would require industry players to reveal who are the directors, shareholders and the direct beneficiary owners.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of the Interior, Mrs Adelaide Anno-Kumi, who represented the sector Minister, Ambrose Dery, called for stringent regulations, monitoring and supervision.
She also charged the Commission to pay attention to online gaming apart from also instituting measures to prevent minors from betting and using their facilities.
Furthermore, Mrs Anno-Kumi encouraged the Commission to liaise with relevant agencies so that Ghana could benefit, economically, from the sector.
The Gaming Commission of Ghana under the Ministry of the Interior was established under the Gaming Act 2006, (Act 721).
The Act legalises all forms of Games of Chance in Ghana except Lottery. The Act empowers the Commission, in the discharge of its functions to acquire and hold any movable or immovable property and enter into contracts or other transactions.
The Casinos, Sports Betting, Route Operation (Slot Machines), Importation and installation of Gaming Equipment, Promotional Gaming (Games of Chance), and Betting on Horse Racing, Scratch Cards and Bingo fall under the Commission.
Source: ISD (Abu Mubarik)
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