Ghana President signs law to abolish betting tax

Ghana President John Dramani Mahama has officially signed into law a set of legislative bills repealing several controversial taxes, including the electronic transfer levy (E-Levy), betting tax, and emissions tax.

The move fulfills a major campaign promise of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to ease the financial burden on Ghanaians, Graphic Online reported.

The signing comes after Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson presented eight tax-related bills to Parliament on March 13, 2025. The proposed legislation aimed to repeal and amend various tax policies, including the Electronic Transfer Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025; Emissions Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025; Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Mahama said eliminating these taxes will boost economic activity and provide relief to individuals and businesses, 3 News reported.

The E-Levy's removal is expected to increase digital transactions, while the betting tax repeal will benefit the gaming industry. Abolishing the emissions tax will reduce costs for businesses affected by environmental levies.

Introduced in 2022, the E-Levy imposed a 1% fee on electronic transactions such as mobile money transfers and online payments. It faced widespread public opposition, with many arguing that it unfairly burdened ordinary citizens and businesses. 

The betting tax, which taxed 10% of gambling winnings, was also criticised by the gaming industry, which viewed it as excessive.

Mahama’s decision to abolish these taxes aligns with his 2024 campaign pledge to eliminate them within his first 120 days in office. 

“This is a commitment we made to the people of Ghana, and today, we have honoured it,” he said after signing the bills into law.