GCG’s 20th anniversary celebrations spotlight digital oversight, responsible gaming and long-term industry development.
Ghana.- The Gaming Commission of Ghana (GCG) has identified technology, data-driven regulation and investor confidence as key priorities for the future of the country’s gaming sector as it marked its 20th anniversary in Accra.
Held under the theme “The Gaming Commission of Ghana at 20: Honouring Our Past, Innovating Our Future in a Digital World,” the event brought together government officials, regulators, gaming operators and security agencies to discuss the evolution of Ghana’s gaming industry and the factors expected to shape its next phase of growth.
Seth Terkper, presidential advisor on the economy, said the gaming sector was already operating within the type of continuous economic cycle envisaged under Ghana’s flagship 24-Hour Economy Policy, a government initiative aimed at boosting productivity, investment and job creation. “The task before the Gaming Commission is therefore not only to regulate the industry, but also to shape its expansion, strengthen investor confidence, and promote long-term economic stability,” he said. Terkper also praised the Commission’s responsible gaming efforts: “I am encouraged by the Commission’s intensified sensitisation programmes, enforcement activities, and self-exclusion initiatives across the country.”
Ebenezer Okletey-Terlabi, deputy minister for the interior, said GCG’s increasing use of data-driven oversight tools was helping the regulator adapt to a rapidly changing landscape. “I am encouraged by how the Commission is integrating data into its oversight systems and prioritising responsible gaming reforms. These efforts demonstrate a regulator that is adapting to modern realities and positioning itself for the future,” he said.
Building a national regulator
The anniversary also highlighted GCG’s growth since its establishment in 2006. The Commission has grown from a single office in Accra into a nationwide regulatory network serving multiple regions across the country.
Emmanuel Siisi Quainoo, acting gaming commissioner, said decentralisation had strengthened compliance efforts and expanded the regulator’s reach across the country.
Quainoo said: “A major milestone in our journey has been decentralisation. From a single office in Accra in 2006, we expanded in 2016 to zonal offices in Kasoa, Kumasi, and Tamale, and more recently to Agona Swedru, Ho, Asante Bekwai, and Sefwi Wiawso. This expansion has strengthened compliance and brought regulation closer to the people,” Quainoo said.
The Commission plans to mark the anniversary throughout the year with regional outreach programmes, charity initiatives, staff recognition events and an international gaming conference.
“As we mark twenty years of honouring our past, we move forward with purpose and determination to build a gaming industry that is safe, transparent, and sustainable. Together, we will continue to shape the future,” Quainoo said.
