Explained: How GST's new rules have made your IPL tickets costlier but India games' prices remain unchanged

Watching the Indian Premier League (IPL) in stadiums has become costlier. Spectators will have to shell out more cash to watch the T20 extravaganza next Indian summer as the government has raised the GST from 28 per cent to 40 per cent. The IPL now comes under the 40 per cent GST slab which also features casino entries, lotteries, betting, horse racing, gambling and online money gaming. 

IPL is a private league which is now categorised as non-essential and speculative activities. Earlier, as per 28 per cent GST on IPL tickets, spectators paid Rs 640 for a Rs 500 ticket. Now, they will have to pay Rs 700 for it. Similarly, for the Rs 1,000 and 2,000 ticket, the amount payable is now Rs 1,400 (increased from Rs 1,280) and Rs 2,800 (increased from Rs 2,560).

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Not just IPL, but the new GST reforms may also affect the ticket prices for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) and the Indian Super League (ISL). There is no clarity on leagues of other sporting leagues as the government has mentioned only IPL so far in the reforms.

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However, the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 ticket prices will remain the same. They will come under the standard 18 per cent GST. Also, the tickets priced under Rs. 500 remain exempted from GST.