Ghana Parliament approves National Sports Fund, earmarking a share of betting-tax receipts for sports development

Ghana’s Parliament has passed the Sports Fund Bill, creating a multi-source financing vehicle that will receive, among other streams, 10% of sports betting taxes collected by the Gaming Commission as the country moves to formalise long-term funding for athletes and infrastructure.

Parliament passed the Sports Fund Bill on 18 December 2025, establishing a dedicated funding mechanism to support athlete welfare, grassroots sport and infrastructure development, with governance built around an independent board and accountability requirements. In the funding mix described in subsequent official briefings around the rollout, the new Sports Fund is designed to draw from several channels including parliamentary allocations, special sports lotteries and a defined share of betting-related public revenues, notably 10% of sports betting taxes collected by the Gaming Commission, alongside gate proceeds and sponsorship-related income.

The initiative has now shifted from legislation to implementation steps. Ghana’s President appointed Dr David Kofi Mawuvi Wuaku as the Fund’s first Administrator in January, tasking him with running the secretariat and executing board decisions. The Sports and Recreation Ministry also announced the inauguration of the Governing Board on 23 January 2026, positioning the body as the central oversight layer for transparent mobilisation and allocation of resources.

With a formal revenue structure and governance architecture coming online, Ghana is signalling that regulated gaming-related income will play a measurable role in sports financing, while the market’s credibility will depend on how consistently the Fund reports inflows and proves impact across federations, programmes and facilities.