Best Betting Sites in Ghana

Ghana, the second-largest country in West Africa, is home to some of the continent’s most iconic tropical forests and waterfalls. Since the country became independent in 1957, it went through some tumultuous periods, but lately, it has formed a stable government. Sports-wise, football has brought some unparalleled success in the country. The national team has qualified for the World Cup three times, reaching the quarter-finals in 2010.

Locals have also shown a great interest in gambling, leading the government to fully regulate the market in 2006. While the Gaming Act 271 initially applied only to betting shops and land-based casinos, the broader availability of the Internet changed that. Betting sites in Ghana multiplied quickly from local operators to international ones.

Best Betting Companies in Ghana

Since international bookies are available to Ghanaians, your choices are vast. If you pick any of the bookies we list, you can rest assured they offer a high-quality sportsbook product. Our best betting sites in Ghana combine competitive odds, many markets and various bonuses.

Gambling in Ghana - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The legal gambling age is at 18 years
• 2
  The 2006 Gaming Act no. 721 legalized all forms of gambling
• 3
  Currently more than 15 licensed bookies operate in the market
• 4
  All licensees are subject to a 17.5% GGR tax
• 5
  Punters are not prosecuted for betting on international bookies

General info

⏩Population: 30.802.793

⏩Active players: 13.800.000

⏩Currency: Ghanaian cedi (GHS)

⏩Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse racing, casino games, lottery, scratch cards, bingo

⏩Operator types: Licensed online & land-based bookies and casinos, international bookies operating without a license

⏩Designated authority: Gaming Commission of Ghana (GCG)

⏩Status: Regulated

Online Betting in Ghana: The Law Framework

Online sports betting and all the other forms of gambling in Ghana became legal in 2006 when the Gaming Act 721 was established by the government. In terms of online betting companies in Ghana, there are more than 20 locally-licensed operators, and technically citizens of the country are only allowed to play there.

However, there are no fines or sanctions if they opt to play on international sportsbooks, which they overwhelmingly do. The GCG (Gaming Commission of Ghana) regulates all gambling-related activities, except for the lottery, monitored by the National Lottery Authority (NLA).

The GCG is also the sole licensing authority of all online casino and betting operators in the country. A 17.5% tax applies to the GGR of all the licensees. If a betting site in Ghana wishes to apply for a license, the fee is $50,000 for casinos and $40,000 for sportsbooks annually.

List of Licensed Betting Companies in Ghana

In case you’re wondering which are the licensed betting websites in Ghana, we gathered them all for you. So here is the full list of all the sportsbooks that operate legally under the Gaming Commission of Ghana (GCG).

Non-active Online Bookies in Ghana

Among the various local bookmakers, there are some that are no longer available to local bettors. Sunbet for instance is a very popular betting site in Ghana that stopped accepting locals on June 30, 2019, and urged them to sign up with Dafabet.

Furthermore, there are two sportsbooks whose operations were suspended by the Gaming Commission; namely, Safaribet and Lollybet. More specifically, both bookies operations contravened the Gaming Act of 2006.

Safaribet refused to pay a bettor who won GHS 57 million in 2018, therefore the GCG decided to revoke its license and block its webpage. On the other hand, Lollybet was never granted a license to operate, thus the website was shut down by the GCG. Mgabet, another bookie with a strong foothold in Ghana, also ceased operations recently.

Essential Information for Bettors

At first, it might seem that online betting sites in Ghana are limited to licensed ones. However, nothing could be further from the truth as bookmakers worldwide operate in the country. Nobody has ever had any legal trouble playing offshore, so you do not have to use a VPN or other encryption tool to hide your activity.

The good thing for Ghanaian bettors is that winnings are not taxed no matter where they play. Every tax in place is relevant only to operators, and regardless of the amount you might win, the flat rate is 0%.

Keep in mind that online betting companies in Ghana with a local license often suffer from a bad reputation. Therefore more and more players choose to bet on an unregulated sportsbook.

How to Deposit at Ghana Betting Sites

Payments methods are limitless for bettors. Firstly, you can use any credit/debit card from Visa and Mastercard, which is widely popular. Skrill and Neteller wallets have also favoured betting for quick transactions and security features.

And the current trend of cryptocurrencies has made several bookies include them as they are even faster and more private than wallets. A big part of betting companies in Ghana is the local banking options. The best advantage they got is allowing players to transfer money via a smartphone.

AirtelTigo Money (named after merging the two leading providers of mobile telecommunication services, Airtel and Tigo), Vodafone Cash and MTN Mobile Money offer mobile and virtual payments. The downside is that you will find them almost exclusively in GCC bookies.

Gambling Regulations in Other Countries

⏩ Ivory Coast: All types of gambling besides sports betting are banned in the nation. While one company, LONACI, holds a valid license, there is no clear process for applying. This is why most prefer to create an account on international Ivory Coast betting sites. 

⏩ Burkina Faso: Although gambling is generally deemed legal, the government has yet to establish specific rules governing the industry. As a result, players within the country have the opportunity to register with an expanding selection of Burkina Faso betting sites without facing legal obstacles.

⏩ Benin: Currently, there is no specific regulatory authority overseeing online activities. However, the absence of a dedicated authority does not imply that Benin online gambling is illegal. In fact, there is no legislation explicitly forbidding it, which allows players to freely register and utilize the services offered by international bookmakers without restrictions.

The Future of Online Betting in Ghana

With the rapid development of online gambling, the Gaming Act 271 is considered somewhat obsolete. Therefore, there is some talk in government sickles for a stricter regulation that will affect mostly playing internationally. That could also boost tax revenues since locals will have to opt for a licensed bookie.

However, due to several setbacks, it seems unlikely that any restrictions are coming soon. Players can freely enjoy a vast array of online betting sites in Ghana and avoid the shady reports surfacing from local counterparts. Moreover, the fact that authorities do not go after bettors playing offshore is a good sign that the lax restrictions will likely continue.