Future of online gaming hinges on SC verdict as govt labels staked games ‘betting’, demands 28 % GST

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that online gaming activities, even those involving skill, amount to betting and gambling when played with monetary stakes, and must therefore be taxed at 28% under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), appearing before a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala, argued that the nature of a game, whether skill-based or chance-based, becomes irrelevant when stakes are involved.