SC transfers to itself all petitions against 28 pc GST on online gaming companies

New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday transferred to itself of all the pending cases before various High Courts challenging the imposition of 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online gaming companies.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra allowed the plea of Centre seeking transfer of all 27 petitions pending in nine High Courts across India.

Several online gaming companies including Gameskraft, Dream 11, Games 24×7, and Head Digital Works have approached the court also challenging the GST imposition.

Earlier, the apex court had stayed the Karnataka High Court verdict quashing the GST intimation notice to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore issued to online gaming firm Gameskraft.

On January 8, the top court had issued notice to the Centre on pleas filed by the E-gaming Federation and others against the levy of 28 per cent GST.

The GST council had, in one of its meetings in July 2023, recommended that online gaming, along with casinos and horse racing, should be taxed at a uniform rate. It had decided against having any distinction between ‘games of skill’ and ‘games of chance’.