On 23rd December, 2019 a protest took place in which members of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) marched in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) up to the Accountant General’s office. This was in response to the decision and subsequent announcement of the GST council to fix a 28 percent tax on lotteries. This was a rise of 16 percent from the previous amount.
There were, and are ongoing worries that these exceptionally large tax rates will put the lottery agents’ livelihoods at risk, or if the tax is passed on to the customer, it could deter them from buying tickets in the first place. Although it comes as some relief to those on the raw end of the deal that CITU and other Trade Unions threw their weight behind the cause, it seems that this could put the Kerala State Lottery at risk.
Luckydice believes that situations such as the one that arose in Kerala only further highlights the benefits that international lotteries have over state lotteries for the customer. With international lottery games like US Powerball and the Euromillions, ticket-buying customers aren’t subject to any tax at source or on their winnings.
What is International Lottery in India?
International lotteries are simply lottery games which originate in other countries and can be played from India. Players are able to register at online lottery sites before choosing which lottery they wish to play. The best sites will offer lotteries such as US Powerball, Megamillions, Euromillions, Aus Lotto and many more.
Is it possible we will see similar happening for gambling in general?
No, it’s unlikely. There are many different state laws around gambling and the legality of casinos. We think it’s unlikely that an organization like the Centre of Indian Trade Unions would want to throw their support behind an industry which still has a taboo around it.
Many people are choosing to play online casino in India as an alternative to visiting land-based casinos. There isn’t any current laws which prohibit participating in online gambling, unless you are in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
