The flagbearer of the All People’s Congress Party (APC), Hassan Ayariga, has pledged to ban sports betting in Ghana should he be elected as the country’s president.
Ayariga, a well-known politician, believes that sports betting serves as a platform for people with a lack of motivation and impedes the nation’s progress.
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,” he said on 3FM.
“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?”
Ayariga is committed to making sports betting illegal in Ghana. He envisions a country where young people are encouraged to work behind computers, design, and contribute to building a nation known for its high technology.
His stance aligns with the views expressed by the Majority Leader of Parliament, Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, who also argued for the regulation of sports betting, citing the potential negative impact on Ghana’s youth. Bonsu contended that betting promotes idleness rather than hard work.
To address this issue, the Ghana Revenue Authority has already introduced a 10% tax on sports betting winnings.
