GST Council decides not to change 28% taxation on all forms of gambling

This is a distinction that casinos enjoy over other forms of gambling like horse-racing and online gaming, where the highest GST slab has been recommended on the platform fee as well as the prize money. Arguments made against this veer around excessive taxation pushing these activities beyond Indian jurisdiction where the incidence of tax is not as onerous.

This is a distinction that casinos enjoy over other forms of gambling like horse-racing and online gaming, where the highest GST slab has been recommended on the platform fee as well as the prize money. Arguments made against this veer around excessive taxation pushing these activities beyond Indian jurisdiction where the incidence of tax is not as onerous. 

The online gaming industry has sought to delineate games of skill and chance it serves up. High courts in several states have overturned blanket bans on online gaming as the latter did not distinguish between the two and this may call for differential tax treatment. The issue is further complicated by the preponderance of skill in games that involve the exchange of money. There is also a case made out for expanding the ecosystem for augmented reality and virtual reality, which are driving user engagement on the internet as social engagement plateaus.

Tax can be as blunt a tool in regulating gambling as a ban. The interests of this segment would be better served by a gaming commission better qualified to look into aspects of concern of financial regulators, such as money laundering.