Ghana’s Revenue Authority said a 10% withholding tax on gross winnings from lotteries, betting, gaming and other games of chance takes effect on 1 January 2024. The authority instructed the National Lottery Authority and private lotto operators to implement the tax, warning that non-compliance may lead to sanctions, including licence revocation.
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It was reported that Uganda removed the exemption protecting land-based casinos from a 15% withholding tax on customer winnings. Parliament approved the proposed amendment to bring physical venues into line with online gambling.
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority introduced an immediate 5% withholding tax on net winnings from all Lagos-licensed online gambling platforms, the authority said in a public notice. Platforms will deduct the tax when paying winnings and remit it to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service.
Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) said it collected GH¢15 million from tax on sports betting winnings. Commissioner Edward Gyambra said the authority expects to raise GH¢60 million by the end of the current football season.
Ghanaian business representatives called on the government to reconsider taxes on lottery and sports betting, according to a report. The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, enacted on 31 March 2023, reinstated a 10% tax on lottery winnings and introduced a 20% tax on lottery and sports betting companies’ earnings. The report says the Ghana Revenue Authority threatened closure for companies that do not pay.
Ghana’s government approved a 10% tax deducted when lottery, games-of-chance and sports-betting winnings are paid out, according to reports. The reported measure also applies a 20% tax to betting businesses’ revenue; the source does not identify an implementation date.