The finance ministry on Wednesday notified the way deposits made to online gaming platforms and casinos will be treated for tax purposes, clarifying that refunds made to the player will not get any relief on tax. The changes are introduced by amending CGST rules 2017, by way of CGST (Third Amendment) Rules, 2023, which are effective from a date to be announced by the government. The taxable sales value of online gaming service will be the total amount deposited with the platform. Any amount returned or refunded by the supplier to the player for any reason, shall not be deductible from the value of supply of online money gaming, the order said. That includes instances where the player is not using the amount deposited with the supplier. Saurabh Agarwal, Tax Partner at EY said the amendments give effect to the recommendations made in the 51st GST council meeting relating to the valuation methodology to be adopted for discharging GST obligation by the gaming industry.