In a move to regulate online gaming, Sanjay Agarwal, Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), has announced that India will implement a 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate on online gaming starting from October 1, regardless of whether these activities involve games of skill or chance, as reported by The New Indian Express.

Following recent amendments to GST laws passed in the Lok Sabha on August 11, during its final session of the monsoon season, the government plans to tax online gaming as part of broader efforts to bring various sectors under the GST framework and streamline tax collections. The two GST laws were passed with a voice vote and minimal debate.

CBIC Chairman Sanjay Agarwal stated, “We are prepared to implement a 28% GST rate on online gaming from October 1 with the consent of all the states. The law regarding the GST rate on online gaming will need to be passed by the state assemblies. Show cause notices to some online gaming companies are part of the legal process.”

These amendments pertain to the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which will impose a 28% GST for online gaming, casinos, and horse racing. This move aims to provide much-needed clarity regarding the taxation of supplies in casinos, horse racing, and online gaming, as asserted by the central government. During the 50th meeting of the GST Council on July 11, a 28% GST rate was recommended for the full face value of Casinos, Horse Racing, and Online Gaming.

To ensure strict compliance, the GST Council has recommended specific provisions in the IGST Act, 2017. This will establish the liability to pay GST on the supply of online money gaming from foreign suppliers to Indian customers, along with measures for blocking access to any related information in case of non-compliance.

It’s worth noting that almost all online gaming companies that have experienced growth in recent years are based offshore. Furthermore, it is concerning that prominent athletes and actors are promoting online gambling, which can have a serious impact on young people.

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The post 28% GST On Online Gaming From 1 October 2023 appeared first on The Commune.

There has been a political furore over the Tamil Nadu Governor not giving his asent to the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022. The DMK and its allies have been upping the ante against the Governor saying that by delaying the assent to the bill, he is tacitly allowing the menace of online gambling to continue.

Tamil Nadu BJP K Annamalai has questioned the ruling DMK government about why it did not notify the law after the ordinance was passed.

He took to Twitter on Wednesday to condemn and question the DMK government. According to Annamalai, on October 3, the Tamil Nadu government passed an ordinance prohibiting online rummy and poker and introduced new regulations on online gaming. The ordinance was issued on October 7, and the bill to prohibit online gambling was passed on October 19, he recalled.

He questioned the DMK government, which informed the Madras High Court on November 17 that the ordinance had not yet taken effect and yet to be notified.

He stated that, according to the ordinance, the Tamil Nadu Gaming Authority was to be formed to develop procedures for implementing the law, and he questioned whether it had been formed.

Annamalai also stated that six people died as a result of online gambling between October 8 and November 27. He claimed that despite the ordinance, online gambling has continued in the state because the state government failed to notify it.

While the public and opposition parties question the DMK government’s credibility in combating online gambling, a lesson from a Tamil Nadu textbook has surfaced on the internet, detailing how to play rummy.

தமிழகத்தில் 6ஆம் வகுப்பு கணித பாட புத்தகத்தில் ரம்மி விளையாட்டின் மகிமைகளை திறனற்ற திமுக அரசு இடம்பெறச் செய்துள்ளதாக ஏப்ரல் மாதத்தில் செய்திகள் வெளியானது.

நம்புங்கள், இவர்கள் தான் ரம்மி ஒழிப்பு போராளிகள். pic.twitter.com/WzMqRCuknj

— Krishna Kumar Murugan (@ikkmurugan) December 2, 2022

The alleged rummy lesson is from a Tamil Nadu textbook given to class six students in the Mathematics term 3 book. The Tamil Nadu books explain the Rummy game saying,” The teacher sees that Yuvan and Subha are ready to play a game with a deck of playing cards. Consider the cards A, J, Q, K, and cards from 2 to 10. Here, let A, J, Q, and K denote the numbers 1,11,12, and 13 respectively. We have two designs in black color and two designs in red color inside a deck of cards. Let the joker card represent 0.”

The Tamil Nadu textbook explained the rules of the Rummy game as follows:

• If a black card is picked, the player should move the token forward and if a red card is picked, the player should move the token backward as per the number shown on the card.
• Whoever reaches number 20 first will be declared as the winner. (more students can play this game by choosing different colored tokens)

This Tamil Nadu textbook lesson on Rummy game to class six students drew criticism from all sections of the public, who questioned the DMK government’s credibility in fighting the menace of online gambling.

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The post Amidst Calls For Banning Online Rummy, TN Govt’s Textbook Has A Lesson On Playing Rummy appeared first on The Commune.