Chandrima Bhattacharya, the Finance Minister of West Bengal, India, announced that the state assembly has passed a bill to introduce a 28% tax on both online and land-based casinos and horse racing. This is the highest tax rate in the state’s history.
Bhattacharya stated that this new law will bring more revenue to West Bengal’s budget. She highlighted that the state imposes a higher tax on online games because they are more about chance than skill.
The bill’s passage was not smooth, with the governor raising numerous questions about how it would work in practice. It was only approved after two months of deliberation.
West Bengal is a state in eastern India, with Kolkata as its capital and largest city. In a notable incident in 2009, a resident of the state lost his eighteen-year-old daughter in a card game.
