Founder of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga, has pledged to put an end to sports betting in Ghana if he is given the mandate to serve as the president of Ghana.

Sports betting in the country has been on the rise in the last years with the government also moving to exert tax on the practice earlier this year. The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), in August, officially implemented a 10% withholding tax on all betting, games and lottery wins.

According to the politician, the youth are forced to go into betting because of the high rate of unemployment and has promised to ensure he gets rid of the practice and make it illegal.

"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?"

Ayari was a presidential aspirant during the 2020 elections.