Hassan Ayariga, the founder and head of the All People’s Congress (APC), has declared that if he is elected president, he will outlaw sports betting.
He contends that gambling is for slothful people and should not be promoted among Ghanaian youth, who he feels should devote their energies to more worthwhile endeavors.
The 51-year-old politician has been running for president of Ghana since 2012 and is getting ready to run again for the position in the following year’s elections.
When asked what he thought about sports betting, Hassan Ayariga said he would outlaw it if he were elected president and that gambling and betting were only for lazy people.
“I will cancel betting [if I become president] because betting is an avenue for lazy people. Why do you bet? Because they have no jobs,” Hassan Ayariga said on 3FM.
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“I will cancel betting, [and make it] illegal in my country. What do you mean by betting when I need young people like them to sit behind computers and design things and build a country where we have the highest technology in Ghana and the world?”
Betting is for Lazy people. I will abolish it when I become president – Dr Hassan Ayariga on #3FMDrive with @GiovaniCaleb pic.twitter.com/FBMlB4i5ij
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) October 24, 2023
Over the past ten years, Ghana’s betting market has experienced phenomenal growth, prompting numerous betting companies to establish their operations there.
Ghanaians’ opinions on sports betting have been polarized in recent years, with some pointing out the detrimental impacts it has on young people, including addiction.
Some people also think that since betting is lawful and a respectable means of generating income, it cannot be characterized as a bad habit when no laws are broken.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) formally instituted a 10% withholding tax on all wagers, games, and lottery winnings in August.
This came about as a result of the government’s decision to change the Tax Act and add withholding tax to winnings from lotteries and sports betting.
