SC upholds 28% GST on online gaming, revives Amazon-Future Coupons deal

Supreme Court's pre-recess docket reshapes retail-adjacent risk: online gaming faces Rs 1.12 lakh crore in retrospective GST demands, while Amazon wins reprieve as SC sets aside CCI/NCLAT orders against its Future Coupons investment. FSSAI enforcement gaps also flagged.

— Source publishedFri, 29 May, 2026, 18:34 IST·First seen Fri, 29 May, 2026, 18:40 IST·Source Forbes India

What happened

Amazon · Supreme Court upheld 28% GST on full face value of online gaming bets, exposing the sector to Rs 1.12 lakh crore in demands. SC also set aside

Key facts

  • Rs 1.12 lakh crore
  • Rs 1,431 crore
  • Rs 21,000 crore
  • Rs 28,000 crore
  • Rs 30,000 crore
  • Rs 2.5 lakh crore

Why this matters

The SC's quashing of CCI/NCLAT orders against Amazon-Future Coupons signals that strategic investments with embedded retail call options can survive regulatory unwinding, reshaping deal structuring playbooks for India entry.