Example Gambling Tax India
Example of how to report and tax for your gambling winnings

The Indian gambling regulations are well-known among betting fanatics in India for being ambiguous and confusing. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 comes closest to a legal regulation, but it is antiquated and does not cover the peculiarities of internet-based betting and gambling activities - sports or casino.

There have been instances when the decision to build gambling laws for their state has been left to state legislatures, and even then, there have been numerous assurity. 

Then there's the issue over how to classify games of skill versus games of chance, with the former being considered permissible. Whatever the situation may be, one thing is certain: you will be required to pay taxes on your gains regardless of where or how you gambling - online or offline.

With the massive growth of technologies like smartphones, tablets and of course the digital India ideology which provides affordable data plans to the citizens, the gambling has also witnessed a huge growth.

There are various games played for thrill in leisure time but some of them offer the chance to win money. The concept of online casino gambling in India hit the ground of popularity with the outbreak of COVID-19. During the pandemic time when the outside earning had become tough, the people and mostly the younger generation became the master of full time online casino gaming, after entering into the thrill and earn games.

The gambling industries witnessed excessive growth. It has become a hobby among people to engage in gaming activity. This wouldn't be possible without the ease supply of internet and even approximately 40 % of Indians use gambling says Dmitry Belianin, CMO of Parimatch International (PMI)

So, here the question arises whether online gambling is beneficial for the government or not?
 

Just like gambling winning filled the pocket of players, it can become another great source of tax for the Indian government too.

The expansion and growth of igaming industries which generated good revenue has become a good source of taxation; similarly, popularity of online betting and gambling in India is enormous, the user traction is huge, and the revenue generated can be a significant source of tax. 

In my view, regulation, rather than a ban, has certain benefits. One is the revenue argument. Since it’s happening largely underground, it’s a huge source of black money. So, if it is legalised and taxed in a realistic and reasonable manner, it can be a huge source of revenue for the government 

Jay Sayta, founder of Glaws told The Hindu

Is income generated by online gambling taxable in India ?

Any income earned by online gambling is taxable in India. Taxes from online gambling are called "Income from other sources". It doesn't matter where or how gambling is done, payable tax is pertinent. 

INCOME TAX ACT, 1961 covers provisions related to taxing winning from online games.

But the Indian government categories the online gaming as "Game of skill" and "Game of chance".

Sec 115BB of ITA 1961 says that any income arising from the game which does not involve any skill of a person such as any winning from lotteries, crossword puzzles, race betting, card games like Andar Bahar, Teen Patti and online rummy and other games including gambling or betting of any form or nature are taxed at the rate of 30 % and if the game involves any skill of a person then the same tax shall be applicable at normal rates as in case of recipient of such income.

Rate of tax after cess

Online betting or casino gambling activities incur 30% tax without cess and without accounting for the basic exemption limit. After adding 4% cess, the tax rate amounts to 31.2% i.e.

  •  30% is flat tax rate
  •  31.2% is net tax rate after 
  •  Above Rs10000 is tax deducted at source

Direct surcharge on income taxation 

There are various surcharges on the income earned from gambling besides universal tax i.e. 30% depending upon separate income group:

  •  If income exceeds Rs 50 lakh,10% surcharge will be charged, applicable to normal tax rate, making it 33%. 
  •  If income exceeds Rs1 crore, 15% surcharge will be charged on normal tax rate and raises tax to 34.5% . 
  •  And 4 % surcharge is levied for Health & Education Cess. This is payable by l persons liable to pay tax and utilised for financial national priorities in health and education.  

Indirect taxes on gambling 

Indirect taxes are included in the final product which the players purchase when they play. GST is charged on all the specified category of all entertainment and services, which includes casinos, race courses and related services. These are taxable at 28% . 

Instance of tax payable on gambling 

  • Tax payable can be explained through an example. If an individual's income is Rs 1.5 lakh, and they earn Rs 50000 from online gambling. So, total income raised at Rs 2 lakh, which is below the exemption limit of Rs2.5 lakh.
  • The individual has to pay tax of 31.2 % on Rs 50000 including cess. And in case the winning exceeds Rs 10000, the entity distributing the prize money will deduct tax at source as per the sec 194B of the IT Act, before distributing the amount won after which the receiver also has to disclose the amount whole filing their annual tax returns.

Are gambling taxation laws different for each state?

While gambling laws vary from state to state in India, the taxation system for players is identical throughout the country and operates in parallel with state law.

Where can information about your Tax situation be find?

Online gambling is subject to taxation as well, and choosing trustworthy casino operators who take care of this part is more than sufficient at the player's end.

according to an online media report.

Visit the Income Tax Department of the Government of India to discover more about tax laws and regulations, as well as other tax information and services, in order to plan for the upcoming tax season.

Play responsibly—that also means pay your taxes, according to the online available source report.

When it comes to Diwali, lights, sweets, and crackers aren't the only things that come to mind. 

Playing cards with friends and family is a key part of the celebrations in some parts of the country, which start over a week in advance. The legal status of gambling in India is unclear.

Indians are no strangers to gambling, with games like Teen Patti having an essential role in significant celebrations like Diwali. However, the legality of gambling and its taxation in India is a complicated matter, and with the popularity of online gambling booming, it's more necessary than ever to grasp the legal and taxation aspects of online gambling in India.

What's the regulation all about 

In India, gambling and betting are considered state issues, and the legality of such activities is determined by whether they qualify as a game of skill or a game of chance.

Fantasy sports, a kind of internet game in which players construct virtual teams made up of proxies for real players in a sport to compete based on existing performance of players in real-life sporting events, has been mired in controversy.

Fantasy sports, on the other hand, have been gaining traction as a skill-based game as a result of a number of high court rulings. 

A recent discussion paper by Niti Aayog unequivocally declares online fantasy sports to be a game of skill with the goal of regulating them

stated Vaibhav Kakkar, partner (specialist in gaming law) at Saraf & Partners.

He added that the Public Gaming Act of 1867 has broadened the scope of betting and gambling regulation in most states.

Games of talent or simple skill,' as opposed to those involving 'chance,' have been exempted from the applicability of the majority of state gambling laws. Certain states, such as Assam and Odisha, do not grant this exemption, whereas Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have outlawed any skill games played for a stake, including online, and a license is necessary for Sikkim and Nagaland

he stated.

There is no particular list of card or fantasy games that fall under the two categories, thus Kakkar explained that categorisation has traditionally been done through judicial decisions.

For example, the Gujarat high court has declared poker to be a game of chance, but West Bengal gambling laws specifically remove poker from the definition of gambling. 

The Kerala high court recently knocked down an amendment to a government notification issued under Section 14A of the Kerala Gaming Act, 1960, aimed at banning online rummy in the state

said Neha Malhotra, director, Nangia Andersen LLP.

Poker is by far the most competitive game. Poker isn't outright banned in India, according to Meyyappan Nagappan, leader, digital tax, Nishith Desai Associates.

A quick view at taxation on wagering in India

Winnings from card or other similar games are taxable at 30% under Section 115B of the Internal Revenue Code. Any gambling winnings are taxed as "income from other sources."

There is no differentiation in the I.T. law between income from fantasy games and poker.

Any winnings from a card game or 'other game of any sort are taxed at a flat rate of 30% plus applicable surcharge and cess, with no deductions or even the basic exemption limit.

Malhotra explained.

The law expressly restricts the deduction of any expenditure or allowance against such profits, and taxpayers are unable to carry forward and balance losses.

mentioned Lokesh Shah, partner (tax law specialist) at Saraf & Partners. 

TDS of 30% must be deducted by the distributor of the winning earnings if the total winning amount is greater than $10,000.

In practical terms, most online casinos charge a 30 percent TDS (tax deducted at source) fee when a player makes a withdrawal of more than INR 10,000.

Before depositing the prize money to the player's bank account, most online gambling platforms subtract required TDS. On the other hand, if the platform fails to do so, or if the game is played offline, the taxpayer is responsible for reporting the winnings and paying the appropriate taxes. 

A wagering reward can sometimes be transferred in kind, in which case the prize's market value is taxed.

International businesses such as Tencent, Alibaba, and Softbank are investing heavily in India in order to get into the country's booming online gambling market. The odds are currently in support of the online gambling sector in India increasing at a rapid rate, with stronger online casino sites popping up on a regular basis.

This signifies that if your total taxable income for the year is INR 100,000 from online gambling, you'll still have to pay INR 30,000 (30 percent of INR 100,000) in taxes.

How does tax differ from the offshore casino 

As wins from offshore online casinos are not subject to taxation on winnings, they need to be reported manually.

Tax regulations in India make it hard to pass offshore gambling legislation, although players must declare their earnings if taxes are not deducted from casino winnings. Failure to do so will add to the punishment of concerned officials. When a player fails to declare their casino winnings, they are totally responsible, not the online casino operators.

The best offshore casino businesses take all required efforts to comply with the nation's gambling legislation.

Offshore casino operators find it difficult to impose the necessary GST tax of 28% due to the lack of a proper GST taxation regulation for online gambling. Because the Indian government has imposed a GST on a separate gambling category that includes land-based casinos and racetracks, this is the situation.

Conclusion

Any winnings from lotteries, crossword puzzles, horse race betting, card games, and other games that exceed $10,000 are subject to a 30 percent withholding tax under Section 115BB of the Income Tax Act of 1961 (Chapter XVII, sections 194B and 194BB).

Because there are no differences between states, it is quite easy for Indian taxpayers to keep a record of their taxable amounts.

Although special tax laws may be mentioned in state-specific tax, betting, and gaming statutes, they apply to operators, organisers, and event holders rather than players.