The Gaming Commission of Ghana – A disservice to the Creative Industry – FOCAP

Authorities, Agencies & Commissions are Created to Regulate and Facilitate the various Sectors they represent.
Unfortunately, a careful study of the activities of the Gaming Commission reveals it is a complete disservice to the Creative Industry of Ghana.

In 2020, The Gaming Commission issued a directive which banned Ghanaian Celebrities from endorsing Betting Companies. This directive was met with revolt from the creative industry but they did not rescind the decision and calls for further discussions were ignored.

In 2020 celebrities such as Nadia Buari, Wendy Shay, Efya, Jackie Appiah, Moesha Boduong, Salma Mumin, Selly Gally, Zynell Zuh, Sandra Ankobiah, Lilwin, and KiDi were all signed as ambassadors for Bet Planet but through the directive from The Gaming Commission’s Guidelines on Advertisement they all lost their contracts.
In 2022 however, we’ve seen celebrities with huge following like John Paintsil endorsing Melbet Ghana and Steven Appiah endorsing Betway without a word from them.

FOCAP referred to the Gaming Commission when the National Lotteries engaged Samini, Jackie Appiah etc. to endorse their Lotto game and we never heard a word from the Gaming Commission. In a conversation with the PRO of National Lotteries, Mr Goodman he said Lotto was different from Betting which didn’t make meaning to us but we let it slide.

Just a few days ago we observed Premier Bet Ghana signing on Didier Drogba who is a Celebrity and a Superstar as an ambassador. Today we have the entire Premier League of Ghana endorsing Empawa a Betting company owned by Afrobeat Musician Mr Eazi who is a Celebrity and our Gaming Commission is nowhere to be found.
There are countless examples like Andy Dosty with a huge following on Hitz FM endorsing Betway every day on the Daybreak Show yet the Gaming Commission ban has not been rescinded.

We as FOCAP believe the ban by Gaming Commission was completely meaningless and outmoded in the face of all that is happening especially with the emergence of new media and its time they update themselves.
Celebrities like Davido, JJ Okocha, Drogba and the rest are making millions out of their endorsement deals with these betting companies’ whilst the Gaming Commission of Ghana is impoverishing our Ghanaian Artistes and Celebrities.

Their excuse of protecting the society is completely bizarre because if you don’t want the influence of these Betting companies in your country you don’t open your gates to them and make money from them as Government.
We as FOCAP are NOT against Betting companies working with any Celebrity but we are against our own Gaming Commission impoverishing our Celebrities with their Discriminatory Directives and outmoded regulations.

Kojo Preko Dankwa
President
0550077040/0575655656.

Mel Kwesi Davis
Vice President
0246550298

Enoch Agyepong
Vice President Research
0244712136