India’s operators urge tax review

A possible increase of 28 percent in Goods and Services Tax (GST) concerns India’s operators.

India.- After the Minister of Finance Arun Jaitley announced that gambling operators will be subject to a 28 percent tax, the operating group Lottery Bachao Mahakruti Samiti demanded a review on the proposal. According to the group of stake-holders of the online lottery industry in Maharashtra, the bill violates the premise of “one nation one tax,” as reported by Ani News.

Snehal Kumar Shah, Member of Maharashtra Rajya Lottery Agent Association and Coordinator of the Lottery Bachao Mahakruti Samiti, explained: “The online lottery business generates employment for a large number of people in the state and provides sustained livelihood to economically weaker sections of the population like widows, differently abled, handicapped and uneducated people.”

“The imposition of 28 percent GST levy on sale of online lottery tickets will not only threaten the source of income of several dependents but also force lottery sellers to wind up their business operations,” continued. “The government needs to treat the matter with greater empathy and implement a holistic solution for the survival and growth of the online lottery business and continued sustenance of its stake-holders.”

During the first week of May it was reported that lottery tickets would be put among the highest category of their soon to be implemented goods and services tax (GST). The ruling establishes that all activities related to gambling will be placed under the country’s highest tax bracket.