According to Francis, who has been able to set up two barber shops that employ 14 people, build a two-bedroom house for his mother, among others, from his earning from engaging in sports betting for over 7 years, if the government is taxing their earning because they think it is a lucrative area, then they might as well also join in.
Speaking with GhanaWeb TV’s Etsey Atisu on SayItLoud, Francis explained that what they do is a very thinking-intensive activity, and for the government to only think that it can benefit from them is wrong.
“If the government knows that we make lots of money from the bet, and they need money, they should come inside and try it and see. If the government needs money, they should use the country’s money to stake a bet and win and use it, if they think we are making money. They should also come in and try,” he said.
He stressed that betting is not a lazy job, as many are made to believe.
“It’s not a lazy job; it’s not easy to tell me that, maybe Man City and Manchester, you’ll tell me that Man City will win. I’m not the one going to play the ball. It’s just the confidence I have and I just put my mind to it,” he added.
Francis further advised the government to concentrate on the betting companies in the country if it is so bent on making a lot of money through taxing them.
He believes that if the government rather increases the tax of these betting companies and they in turn increase the betting charges they get, that would make more sense to them.
