Relationship Between Taxation And Casino Industry Growth In India

At the end of the financial year, we will all be buried with one truth: taxes. You, me, or any big tycoon can't escape the tax bars.

You ought to, you need to, and you will always have to pay taxes on your earnings if they jump behind a certain limit.

A Reuters report states that the Indian government has imposed a 28% tax on casino earnings in India. The tax will be imposed on the real money games. It will be mainly imposed on horse racing, online casino, and real money gaming. A few experts believe this will restrict India's booming casino sector, but a few more have stated that it will provide a minimal revenue impact. There will be a minimum impact since the tax will be levied only on winnings or real-money skill-based games.

Is it a cliché statement?

Well, no, as the year 2022 saw a tax of 5.2% on the overall revenue when the taxation laws and GST on casino goods were 30% + 10% surcharge. Now, as the taxation on real money games is capped at 28%, the gaming lobby has petitioned the PM to bring down the taxes to 18% on the casinos.

"The winning counts in gambling, and not just participation."

Yes, you will be taxed on your winnings, not your game participation. This is what government rules say. India has 21 legal casinos with a concentration in states like Daman, Sikkim, and Goa. The state of Goa also offers cruise shipping services where casino gameplay is rising. They are all licensed casinos whose earnings are taxable by the government. Still, casino gameplay is on the rise after paying the required taxes. The reason being they go according to the set rules of the government.

These online and offline casinos meet the criteria of security, planning, responsible gambling, and fair play gambling. However, confusion in taxes sometimes arises because of the GST laws of the state and central government. The government has now bracketed them under the new 28% taxation law. Still, the gambling brands in India offering casino and online gambling games are in talks with the government to lower the taxes to 18%. It will help with the growth and expansion of the gaming industry plus addition to the economy of India too.

Even the casinos are made a legal entity under the law where they are given the status of 'reporting entities.' They must report suspicious transactions or online money laundering activity to the Financial Intelligence Unit of India. Even MeitY or the Ministry Of Electronics and Information Technology check the final report detailing casinos.

You cannot tell the Lion what to do. The same goes for the taxation bodies and the government.

It is important to abide by the rule of the land. The taxation may be seen as a hampering technique by a few online casinos, but the government watches it as a move to check money laundering activities. This move also comes in the wake of helping people play responsibly, and casinos need to build a support team to help casino players bet within their budget.

Another view the government represented was that essential goods cannot be taxed heavily, so taxation on other sectors, like online gaming, gambling, entertainment, etc., is necessary for economic growth. However, the final report submission is still in the loop. The government and representatives of the online gambling industry are still carrying out discussions.

The curb of taxation is seen to be made to keep the black-market operators away. However, most gambling operators still see the taxation policy as a burden. In India, Rummy Circle, Big11, Junglee Games, etc., are the biggest operators. The whole vision of gaming is again under scrutiny under the tax laws. The only fear is that if the taxes are not given a low percentage, it may discourage players, and a job recession may be seen in the gambling industry.