The Indian government has asked the Supreme Court for an additional week to submit further documents in a major Goods and Services Tax (GST) case involving online gaming, valued at around Rs2.5 trillion ($30 billion), according to local media outlet Storyboard 18.Â
This request, made on Monday, follows an earlier plea for a two-week extension and comes shortly after Parliament passed a law banning online real money gaming.
The case, one of India’s largest tax disputes, focuses on whether GST applies to online games. On August 12th, Supreme Court judges reserved their decision after hearing arguments from gaming companies, such as Gameskraft and Delta Corp, and industry groups, including the All India Gaming Federation.
Legal experts suggest the new ban on real money gaming could shape the government’s final stance. During the hearings, lawyers for the gaming industry argued that skill-based games should not be treated as gambling under India’s Constitution, citing past court rulings. They also challenged the government’s attempt to tax online rummy stakes, calling it legally baseless, and dismissed casino tax calculations as flawed.
The gaming industry urged the court to reject the tax demands, emphasizing that skill-based games are distinct from gambling. The Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling could reshape the tax framework for online gaming, especially after the recent ban.
