Ghana FA drag five betting companies to Gaming Commission

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has formally lodged a complaint with the Gaming Commission, accusing several betting companies of offering unauthorized betting services on matches overseen by the GFA.

In its report, the GFA highlighted that platforms such as Betway, Soccabet, Sportybet, Football.com, and ilotbet have been facilitating bets on games without the Association’s permission. The GFA has called on the Gaming Commission to promptly investigate these operators and take appropriate action to ensure they cease their unlawful activities.

As the regulatory body responsible for licensing gaming operators in Ghana, the Gaming Commission plays a key role in overseeing companies and individuals involved in any form of gambling or promotions linked to games of chance. The GFA’s primary concern is that the unauthorised use of match data by these betting companies constitutes a violation of its legal rights, breaching both the Association’s rules and regulations.

The GFA has long maintained a strict stance against illegal betting on its matches, viewing it as a major threat to the integrity of the game and its reputation. During the 30th GFA Congress held at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku reiterated this stance. He stressed that no betting company has been authorised to offer odds on the Ghana Premier League (GPL) and warned that the GFA’s legal team would take action against companies that defy these directives.

 “We have not licensed any betting company to take odds on our games,” President Simeon-Okraku said during the 30th Ordinary Congress in Prampram on August 27, 2024.

“We are going to empower our legal department to confront this issue head-on. It is not okay for betting companies to feed on our football.”

The GFA President has made it clear that the association is open to partnering with betting companies but only if they comply with the necessary regulations.