Gaming industry faces major tax hikes in UK and India

The global online gaming sector is facing significant regulatory and fiscal shifts, particularly in the United Kingdom and India. In the UK, the Remote Gaming Duty on online casino profits is set to rise from 21 percent to 40 percent effective April 1, 2026. This steep tax increase is forcing operators to rethink customer acquisition strategies, such as the use of no-deposit free spin offers, to manage compressing margins.

In response to evolving standards, MERKUR Casino UK has appointed Dan Whitlam, formerly of the UK Gambling Commission, as its new Head of Compliance. Whitlam will oversee regulatory compliance, player protection, and anti-money laundering efforts across the company’s various gaming verticals.

In India, the taxation landscape for online gaming has undergone a major transformation. Following a Supreme Court decision involving Gameskraft Technologies, the GST Council increased the tax rate for specified actionable claims, including online money gaming, from 28 percent to 40 percent, effective September 22, 2025. This follows legal clarifications regarding the taxation of skill-based versus chance-based gaming platforms.