194BA TDS on Online Gaming Calculator
Work out the 30% TDS deducted on your net winnings from online games — fantasy, rummy, poker and real-money games — and see your net payout live.
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TDS breakdown
Section 194BA · 30% flatClaim your 194BA TDS credit & file your ITR
Gaming TDS shows in your Form 26AS / AIS — a CA can reconcile it and file your return correctly.
Disclaimer: Indicative estimate of TDS under Section 194BA on net winnings from online games. Surcharge and 4% cess, if any, are added at assessment on the final tax u/s 115BBJ. Figures per the Finance Act 2023 and Rule 133.
Section 194BA — TDS on online gaming winnings
Since 1 April 2023, every rupee of net winnings from an online game is subject to TDS under Section 194BA at a flat 30%. Unlike the old lottery/game-show rule (Section 194B), there is no ₹10,000 threshold — TDS is deducted on each withdrawal and again on any balance left in your wallet at year end.
194BA vs 194B — which applies
Online real-money games fall under 194BA with no threshold. Lotteries, crossword puzzles, TV game shows and card games that are not online platforms stay under 194B, which still has a ₹10,000 per-transaction threshold.
| TDS rate | 30% |
| Threshold | Nil |
| Base | Net winnings |
| Deducted on | Withdrawal & year-end balance |
| Covers | Fantasy, rummy, poker, RMG |
| TDS rate | 30% |
| Threshold | ₹10,000 |
| Base | Winning amount |
| Deducted on | Each payout above threshold |
| Covers | Lottery, puzzles, TV shows |
How the TDS is worked out
Net winnings for the year = amount withdrawn + closing wallet balance − opening balance − non-taxable deposits. TDS is 30% of net winnings; the balance is what actually reaches your bank. Here are two straightforward cases:
Key terms explained
Net winnings
The taxable base for 194BA: amount withdrawn + closing wallet balance − opening balance − non-taxable deposits for the year. Your own money you deposit is never taxed again.
No threshold
The earlier ₹10,000 exemption was removed w.e.f 1 April 2023. Even ₹100 of net winnings attracts 30% TDS — there is no minimum limit under 194BA.
Section 115BBJ
Winnings from online games are taxed at a flat 30% with no deductions, no expenses and no basic exemption. You cannot set off losses or claim slab benefits against them.
Surcharge & cess
On top of the 30%, applicable surcharge and a 4% health & education cess are added on the final tax at assessment. The 194BA TDS is credited against this liability.
Questions people ask
Short answers on TDS on Online Gaming (194BA). Tap a question to open it.
01How is TDS on online gaming calculated?
Under section 194BA at 30% of net winnings in the user account, computed at the time of each withdrawal and again on the balance at the end of the financial year. Net winnings take deposits and opening balance into account, so only the actual gain is taxed.
02Is there a threshold below which no TDS applies?
No. Unlike the earlier provisions for lottery and game show winnings, section 194BA has no minimum threshold — TDS applies on any net winnings.
03How are the winnings taxed in my return?
Under section 115BBJ at a flat 30% plus cess, with no basic exemption, no deduction of any expenditure, and no set-off of losses. The TDS is credited against that liability.
04Can gaming losses be set off?
No. Losses from online games cannot be set off against winnings from other games, against any other income, or carried forward. The net winnings computation within a single user account is the only netting allowed.
05What if winnings are in kind?
The payer must ensure the tax has been paid before releasing the prize, either by recovering it from the winner or by paying it themselves, exactly as under section 194B for prizes in kind.
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Disclaimer: This tool gives indicative results for general guidance only and is not professional advice. Please verify with a qualified CA before acting on the numbers.