The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase Constituency, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has expressed support for the 10% withholding tax imposed on earnings from betting activities.
He claims that he does not enjoy gambling and that he views betting as “haram,” an Arabic word meaning “forbidden.”
According to the former Minority Chief Whip, taxing gamblers’ gains is OK as long as their first deposits are not taxed. His remarks seem to go against the position of the NDC Youth Wing, which had criticized the government for imposing the levy.
Speaking on Angel FM, Muntaka said, “Betting is haram, and taxing is a way to develop the country. Anyone who earns income from working deserves to pay tax, so the question is, don’t they get profit from betting?”
“If it was their capital that is being taxed, that will be the problem, but it is rather the earnings that are being taxed. I get taxed for the income I earn from working, so why don’t they want to pay tax?”
The Ghana Revenue Authority began withholding 10% of all betting, gaming, and lottery winnings on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
The government made this move after deciding to change the Tax Act and begin withholding tax on lottery and sports betting wins. But several Ghanaians have condemned the decision, and some have even taken to social media to criticise the current government.
