On July 11, 2023, in New Delhi, under the auspices of Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the 50th GST Council Meeting took place. It was determined that online gambling would be subject to a 28% tax on the face value of bets placed in India.
She clarifies, though, that the intention was not to harm the industry by adding more to the initial remark. But the goal was to make the method simpler, more straightforward, and transparent..
We aren’t saying this, but according to some investors, this new policy might make the entire industry disappear.
In front of the media, she also posed the following query: “We just want to ask the betting industry tycoons: do you all really consider the industry, which includes casinos and has the potential to burn one’s pocket if not practised safely, must be endowed with a greater encouragement than essential goods?”
Before the 50th GST Counselling Meeting, what was the rate? What may be anticipated right now?
Online gaming businesses are now required to pay the Indian government 18% GST on their gross gaming revenues or platform fees. Additionally, a 30% winning TDS percentage is subtracted from the overall winning sum.
However, the game will be required to pay 28% GST on the deposited payment once the 28% GST Deduction plan is implemented. He will be responsible for the platform cost as well as an additional 30% TDS on any winnings.
Let’s use an example to better grasp this. a participant who wagered $100. Pays GST of 18%, or another deduction of 18, in addition to paying platform fees of 10. He now has 72 to play with as a result of all this subtraction.
Now that this choice has been made, assuming the game owners maintain the platform charge, he would pay 28 as a GST deduction and ultimately, a player would receive 62 to play with in his wallet.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone reading this that the decision to impose a 28% GST levy has not been well received. In the section after this, let’s discover more about it.
How Did The Owners Of The Game And Investors React To This Choice?
As many as 30 investors, including some of the most prestigious names like Kalaari Capitals, Peak XV Partners, Orios Venture Partners, Alpha Wave Global, and others, have written to the Prime Minister’s Office asking them to reconsider the decision since the order was passed in the 50th GST Counselling Meeting.
“We as investors had a clear vision to make the country a net exporter of innovation in gaming and related areas,” the letter reads. The goal was to establish India as the world’s gaming capital. The unintended result of this ruling will be to equate the legally protected internet gaming sector with betting, gambling, skill-based games, and other games of chance.
Believe it or not, the largest gaming sub-sector in India is skill-based real-money gaming. Additionally, it helps a sizeable percentage of the nation’s community of game developers by providing them with excellent career opportunities for a better future.
The gaming sector is expanding at a healthy rate of about 50% yearly. In the previous two years, there have been 400 new firms (some of which have become unicorns) that have attracted investments totaling about $3 Bn worldwide.
The letter expressed concern that this new proposal will negatively affect potential investors in light of the significant investment made and the anticipated $4 to $6 Bn in the next five years.
The idea may have a negative effect on the sector, leading to the loss of over 50,000 highly skilled techies, game developers, and even marketers, as well as other socioeconomic and employment-related difficulties. Over 1.5 million Indian people who are directly or indirectly involved in this industry may also suffer significant losses due to a further loss of employment possibilities.
Money spent on commercials and all those games that are currently in the early stages of production would be completely thrown away, having a very negative effect on the media and entertainment industries.
We’re not saying anything, but some investors believe that this new legislation may cause the industry to completely vanish.
What Should I Expect: The Final Version?
Even though the Indian Internet and Mobile Association is opposed to the new idea, the Indian Government has no plans to change its mind or reverse course.
“It will help to curb the unwanted gambling addiction”,an official declared. However, the proprietors of the games are not in a position to support this new idea.
The Confederation of All India Trades (CAIT) stated in a written letter the previous Monday that the 28% GST would have a similar effect on the gaming industry to that of torrent and other offshore web portals that people use to meet their needs. People would begin using illegal or restricted websites to invest and play. All of this would eventually reduce the safety of the internet for online users and is, in any case, inconsistent with the efforts made by the national government to encourage and practise responsible gaming in the nation.
conclusion
No game owners or their angel investors endorse the Indian government’s intention to implement a 28% GST; it is an unpleasant and undesirable proposition. However, the Indian government has made it apparent that this choice was intended to limit participants, particularly young people, and as a result, the levy.
Last but not least, all the data presented here was gathered from reliable sources across a variety of media. So, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. Our team would be pleased to talk about your needs and offer the finest solutions.
You should also visit our blog area if you want to learn more about the gaming industry. The blogs mentioned there would all be valuable resources for you to learn more.
