India’s Goods and Services Tax Council has approved reforms that include an increase in the tax applicable to gaming.
The tax rate on gaming, including betting, casinos, gambling, horse racing, lottery and online money gaming, will increase from 28 per cent to 40 per cent on 22 September.
The tax increase was approved by the Council on Wednesday and will help to offset tax cuts across a range of consumer goods and medicines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the GST Council’s decision to approve the government’s proposed tax reforms, adding that they “will improve lives of our citizens and ensure ease of doing business for all, especially small traders and businesses”.
The tax increase follows the recent approval of a bill to outlaw real-money online gambling across India, which prompted Flutter Entertainment to shut down its Junglee real-money gaming site in late-August.