Ghana Enforces Biometric Verification for All Gambling Activities

Ghana’s gambling sector is undergoing a sweeping transformation as the Gaming Commission has announced that biometric verification will now be a requirement for every wager. The directive applies across the entire industry, covering online sportsbooks, physical betting shops, casinos, and even promotional gaming events. The initiative arrives in tandem with broader tax reforms and is framed as part of an effort to modernize and secure the gambling environment in the country.

Under the new rules, operators must integrate their platforms directly with the National Identification Authority (NIA) database. Gamblers will be required to authenticate their identity through either facial recognition or fingerprint scanning at the time of placing a bet and again when collecting winnings. Importantly, the sole identification accepted will be the Ghana Card, the official ID issued by the NIA.

Emmanuel Siki Quainoo, the acting commissioner of the Gaming Commission, stressed that the biometric policy is intended both to protect the sector from abuse and to strengthen responsible gambling safeguards. He explained that the additional step is meant to slow down impulsive betting, giving individuals more time to reflect before placing wagers.

Operators face a demanding deadline, with only one month granted to roll out and thoroughly test their biometric systems. The Commission has underscored that it will not hesitate to suspend licenses or block renewals for businesses that fail to meet the requirement. Officials have emphasized that enforcement will be consistent and without exceptions.

The revised framework is being presented as a defensive measure against two persistent challenges in the gaming industry: underage participation and fraud. Authorities believe linking every transaction to biometric data will strengthen oversight and help root out irregular financial activities such as money laundering and unmonitored cash movement.

In addition to curbing illegal practices, the system is designed to boost transparency in an industry that has faced scrutiny for insufficient monitoring. By tying gambling activity directly to verified identities, regulators will be in a stronger position to detect patterns, investigate suspicious transactions, and hold operators accountable.

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The biometric mandate also reinforces the Commission’s agenda to encourage responsible gambling. With improved monitoring, regulators will be able to track risky betting behaviors, introduce spending limits, and support exclusion measures for individuals who opt to self-ban from gambling. These mechanisms are intended to reduce harm and provide more structured oversight of players’ activities.

The policy does not stand alone but aligns with Ghana’s broader national digitalization strategy, which is expanding identity-based verification across regulated sectors. By incorporating gambling into this framework, the Commission is ensuring the industry adheres to the same standards of accountability seen in banking and other financial services.

As the deadline approaches, the success of this rollout will depend on how quickly operators can adapt and integrate the new biometric systems. With regulators signaling zero tolerance for non-compliance, the measure represents one of the most decisive steps yet in reshaping Ghana’s gambling industry.

Source:

“Ghana Gaming Commission Introduces Mandatory Biometric Verification“, europeangaming.eu, August 20, 2025.