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Online gaming winnings from Dream11, Rummy, or Poker are taxed at 30 percent with no exemptions or deductions.
News18
In the tax filing season, taxpayers must know that it is mandatory to report income from online gaming property. A wrong reporting of income or profit will attract a penalty or notice from the tax department.
There’s an outright 30% tax on winnings from online gaming along with TDS. These small things you must know to avoid any notice or penalty.
Flat 30% Tax on Winnings
All income from online real-money gaming platforms like Dream11, Rummy, or Poker is taxed at a flat 30% rate.
No basic exemption limit applies (unlike salary or business income).
No deductions are allowed (not even for losses or expenses).
Example:
If you win Rs 1,000 on Dream11, your tax liability is Rs 300 (plus surcharge and cess). Even if your total income is below Rs 2.5 lakh, tax still applies.
TDS Deduction by Platforms
Gaming companies must deduct TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) before crediting your winnings.
The deduction is linked to your PAN number.
Platforms calculate net winnings as per Rule 133 of Income-tax Rules:
(Withdrawals + Closing Balance) – (Opening Balance + Non-taxable Deposits).
Example:
Opening balance: Rs 500
You deposit: Rs 1,000 (non-taxable)
Closing balance: Rs 2,500
Withdrawals: Rs 1,000
Net winnings = (1,000 + 2,500) – (500 + 1,000) = Rs 2,000
Tax @30% = Rs 600
No Set-off of Losses
Losses from gaming cannot be adjusted against winnings or any other income.
You cannot carry forward these losses to the next year.
The ITR form does not allow entering negative figures in the “online gaming income” field.
Example:
If you won Rs 5,000 in one game but lost Rs 7,000 in another, your taxable income is still Rs 5,000, not zero.
Even Small Winnings Are Taxable
Section 115BBJ makes it clear that even Rs 10 winnings are taxable.
However, if TDS is already deducted, interest or penalty may not apply.
Still, you must report it in your ITR.
Example:
If you win Rs 10 and the platform deducts Rs 3 as TDS, you are technically compliant. But disclosing it in ITR avoids mismatches with your PAN records.
Mandatory ITR Filing in Certain Cases
Rule 12BA says you must file an ITR if TDS/TCS in a year exceeds Rs 25,000, even if your total income is below Rs 2.5 lakh.
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst…Read More
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst… Read More
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