48th GST Council to meet on December 17 through video conferencing

Meanwhile, the state finance ministers' panel for GST levy on casinos, online gaming and horse racing will submit its report to the GST Council next week, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said today.

Sangma-headed Group of Ministers (GoM) held its final meeting on the issue earlier this week and is understood to have recommended a GST levy of 28 percent on online gaming, irrespective of whether it is a game of skill or chance.

However, in the absence of consensus on whether the tax should be levied on only the fees charged by the portal or the entire consideration, including the bet amount received from participants, the GoM has decided to refer all the suggestions to the GST Council for a final decision.

Asked when the GoM would send the report to the council, Sangama said: "We will submit the report next week". Currently, online gaming attracts 18 percent GST. The tax is levied on gross gaming revenue, which is the fees charged by online gaming portals.

The GoM in its earlier report submitted to the council in June had suggested a 28 percent GST on the full value of the consideration, including the contest entry fee, paid by the player without making a distinction such as games of skill or chance. However, the council had asked the GoM to reconsider its report.

Talking to reporters, Tamil Nadu finance minister P Thiaga Rajan said, "There was already a report submitted once. That report will be the basis of whatever the new report is".

The 8-member GoM includes Thiaga Rajan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Finance Ministers of West Bengal (Chandrima Bhattacharya), Gujarat (Kanubhai Desai), Uttar Pradesh (Suresh Kumar Khanna), Telangana (T Harish Rao), and Goa Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho.