India Supreme Court applies GST, upholds bans on real-money gaming
India
Big news for anyone into online gaming: India's Supreme Court just made a major call.
On May 27, 2026, the court upheld state bans on games where you play with real money and said these platforms are now officially covered by GST rules.
Basically, if money's at stake, it counts as gambling or betting and falls under state control.
GST on full stake, ₹2L/cr demand
The court ruled that GST applies to the whole amount you put in, not just platform fees, which is huge for gaming companies facing a ₹2 lakh crore tax demand.
The judges also pointed out serious concerns like addiction and financial harm tied to these platforms.
This verdict clears up tax confusion and puts public health front and center in how online gaming is handled in India.