Definition 80B - Online
Reviewed by CA Nikhil Gupta and Kajri Singh · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Finin2min Summary - Definition in 2 Minutes
Online gaming where players deposit money or money’s worth, including VDAs, expecting winnings; skill/chance and legality under another law do not change this GST definition. PRACTICAL EXAMPLE Players deposit tokens purchased with money and can win money or VDAs. The definition applies regardless of whether the game depends mainly on skill. EXCEPTION / PROFESSIONAL ALERT The definition is technology- and outcome-neutral: skill, chance and legality under another law do not determine whether it is online money gaming for GST.
Official statutory text
The authoritative provision, footnotes and amendment notes are maintained in the official consolidated Act. This analytical page does not re-typeset amendment markers into the running statutory sentence.
- Open the India Code consolidated CGST Act PDF - as on 11 June 2026
- Open the India Code CGST Act register
- Open the CBIC Tax Information Act explorer
Official-source reference reviewed on 2026-07-28. Apply the version and commencement position relevant to the transaction period.
Paragraph-wise decode
Online gaming where players deposit money or money’s worth, including VDAs, expecting winnings; skill/chance and legality under another law do not change this GST definition. PRACTICAL EXAMPLE Players deposit tokens purchased with money and can win money or VDAs. The definition applies regardless of whether the game depends mainly on skill. EXCEPTION / PROFESSIONAL ALERT The definition is technology- and outcome-neutral: skill, chance and legality under another law do not determine whether it is online money gaming for GST.
Section-Rule-Form-Notification bridge
The mapping is a legal concordance, not a round-robin related-link list. It is limited to instruments listed in this repository.
Practical example
Apply the defined term to the transaction facts before moving to the charging, valuation, credit or procedural provision.
Professional alert
Definitions do not by themselves create a tax charge, exemption, credit or filing obligation.
Implementation checklist
- Fix the transaction, taxable period and jurisdiction.
- Read every subsection, proviso, explanation and omission marker.
- Open the mapped Rule, form, notification and circular.
- Test State/UT variation and portal version.
- Preserve evidence, approvals, working papers and acknowledgements.
- Record the conclusion, assumptions, source date and reviewer.
Evidence and retention checklist
- Contract, purchase order, invoice or underlying transaction document.
- Registration, return, ledger, challan and portal acknowledgement.
- Official Act/Rule/notification version used and effective date.
- Internal tax position paper, computation and management approval.
- Correspondence, notices, replies, orders and appeal papers where applicable.
Practical Q&A
- What does definition 80B regulate?
- It regulates online. Read the exact text, conditions, exceptions and transaction date together.
- Which subordinate law should be checked?
- No direct CGST Rule has been listed in this repository. Notifications, circulars, forms and the corresponding SGST/UTGST layer may also apply.
- What evidence should be retained?
- Preserve the contract or transaction record, invoice or form, portal acknowledgement, payment/ledger evidence, correspondence, legal working and the official source version used.
- Can portal behaviour override the statute?
- No. Portal functionality is operational evidence; legal entitlement and liability remain controlled by the Act, Rules, notifications and binding decisions.