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Why Kerala is upset with the Indian government's latest tax
The Indian government just bumped up GST on lotteries, betting, and online gaming from 28% to 40%.
Kerala's leaders aren't happy—they say this could seriously hurt the state's massive lottery sector and put important welfare programs at risk.
State leaders fear that higher taxes will mean fewer ticket sales
Kerala accounts for nearly 97% of India's lottery revenue, pulling in about ₹14,000 crore a year, with a portion of the proceeds funding social projects like healthcare for over 42 lakh families.
State officials worry that higher taxes will mean fewer ticket sales and less support for these programs.
For now, the central government hasn't responded to Kerala's calls to rethink the tax hike.