BGMI Maker Krafton India Urge for Support Measures to Promote Online Gaming

Krafton India, makers of the popular online game BGMI, on Thursday pitched for government support measures to promote the online gaming industry in the country. Krafton India CEO Sean Hyunil Sohn highlighted subsidies given to gaming companies for labour costs by countries like the UAE and Canada and stated that innovative ways can be found to promote the industry in...

Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) Chairman Bibek Debroy on Tuesday said the government was losing revenue due to the GST, which should be revenue neutral with a single rate.

A 28-year-old man working as an astrologer-cum-priest was arrested on Monday for allegedly trying to threaten a Goods and Services Tax (GST) official in Gujarat and interfere in his work by posing as a senior bureaucrat, police said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday booked an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer for allegedly seeking a bribe of Rs 30 lakh from a China-based company in a case related to GST evasion.

Domestic online gaming companies will be required to deduct 28 per cent GST on bets placed from overseas locations, including by foreign players, as such bets will also be treated as actionable claims.

Railway Seva took note of the same and asked him to share further details.

The Indian government has mandated offshore online gaming companies operating in the country to register the business locally or appoint a representative to pay tax on funds collected from customers. The move to tax online gaming companies has shocked the nascent $1.5 billion (nearly Rs. 12,430 crore) industry, which is backed by global investors.

Parliament on Friday approved amendments to the Central and Integrated GST laws to levy 28 percent tax on the full face value of bets in online gaming, casinos and horse race clubs. The CGST amendment bill defines 'online gaming' as a game on the internet or an electronic network.

Kavin Bharti Mittal-founded Hike, which owns Rush Gaming Universe, has laid off about 55 people — more than one-fifth of its total workforce — to absorb the impact of the GST hike on online gaming, a top company official said on Thursday. The entire team of Hike is engaged in the development of Web3 gaming platform ‘Rush Gaming Universe’.

In some relief to online gaming industry, the GST Council on Wednesday decided that 28 per cent GST will be levied at face value of entry level bets placed in gaming platforms and casinos.

The decision to impose a 28 percent tax on the full face value of bets placed on online games will be implemented from October 1 even though there was demand for a review from states like Delhi and Goa, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday.

Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi has assured entrepreneur and influencer Ashneer Grover that she will urge the GST council to reconsider its decision to impose 28 per cent tax on online gaming.

A meeting of the GST Council is set to be held tomorrow via videoconferencing, where the members will discuss and take a final call on the proposal to levy 28 per cent GST on online gaming, casinos and horse racing, finance ministry officials said.

As many as 2,784 cases of GST evasion involving Rs 14,302 crore were detected in the first two months of the current fiscal, while Rs 5,716 crore was recovered during the period, Parliament was informed on Monday.