Ban on Celebrity Endorsements and Ghana’s Betting Dilemma

A long-time dispute is shaking Ghana’s society, as the country’s Gaming Commission decided to ban the endorsement from local celebrities to the betting and gambling environment. The main reason behind this decision is that young people might follow their favorite celebrities and start gambling. It’s been estimated that young gamblers are more likely to develop a gambling addiction. The objective of the Commission is to avoid having more youth with such a problem.

How Did Ghanaian Celebrities React to the Ban?

The decision by the Gaming Commission has naturally provoked a strong reaction from Ghanaian celebrities – basically because they feel like they are deprived of a significant source of income. As singer Wendy Shay said in a recent tweet, “Musicians are not supposed to be poor, but in this country, if God does not step in, you will die poor.”

Sponsorship activities in favor of alcoholic beverages and betting companies help Ghanaian artists earn more money. With the ban in the country, all local artists won’t be allowed to continue their sponsorship work, which might seriously damage their incomes. The situation required the intervention of the Foundation of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), which has met with the Gambling Commission to discuss their proposal to lift the ban. In particular, the Commission’s document states that gambling operators are forbidden to use celebrities in their ad campaigns to lure the public to their gambling services and products. However, the FOCAP wants to find a compromise to mitigate the situation between Ghanaian celebrities and the Commission’s ban. The FOCAP asks the Commission’s Leadership to redesign their guidelines about forbidding Ghanaian celebrities to appear in gambling-favorable ads and sponsorships and to replace the ban with safer gambling conditions for all Ghanaian gamblers.

It seems that the situation is still far from reaching a solid compromise for both parties, as the Commission reinforced its position by reaffirming that the use of celebrities in gambling-oriented ads influences the general public to try gambling, which might bring serious social problems. Gambling addiction is not only an individual problem of the person who can’t resist betting at casino games – it’s a social problem, as the country should provide specific healthcare to those persons and their families, as well.

An Alternative Not Far From Ghana

While it was illegal in Ghana for celebrities to participate in the promotion of gambling, in the Arab world, not far from Ghana, the popularity of live dealer online casinos has risen, so some Ghanaian celebrities may want to try their hand at this role. In fact, many Ghanaian celebrities aren’t only involved in ad campaigns for casino operators and sports betting companies, but they are also diehard fans of casino games themselves.

As a result, several Ghanaian artists are already playing live dealer casino games they found on this page, one of the most reputable and appreciated in the Arab world.

Meanwhile, the Gaming Commission concluded the meeting with the FOCAP by committing itself to clarify the ban’s guidelines, especially about the celebrities’ engagement dilemma. However, the situation looks far from being solved, and much is expected to happen in the following weeks.