India to tax entire bet amount

The Indian government said on Tuesday that it will now tax the entire amount wagered, regardless of whether the game is based on skill or chance. Previously, the tax only applied to commissions.

The announcement was the government’s response to Gameskraft’s lawsuit, which claimed that only the platform should be taxed, not the entire bet.

The Indian government has classified the taxation of the entire amount wagered under the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It also recalled Rule 31A(3) of the CGST, which applies to absolutely all forms of betting, from betting on horse racing to betting on online games.

Notably, Google recently said it was considering relaxing its policy on real money gaming (RMG) apps on the Indian Play Store.