Paytm’s First Games faces Rs 5,712 Cr GST demand notice

First Games Technology Private Limited, a subsidiary of One 97 Communications Limited, has received a show cause notice from the Director General of GST Intelligence, Delhi (DGGI).

According to a disclosure filed by Paytm with the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the notice proposes a liability of Rs 5,712 crore, along with applicable interest and penalties, for the period January 2018 to March 2023.

The company stated that the notice pertains to an ongoing matter in the online gaming industry over the past 18 months, where GST liability has been calculated at 28% on the total entry amount, instead of 18% on the platform fees (revenue) collected by gaming companies.

According to the disclosure, First Games will file a writ petition challenging the show cause notice (SCN), opposing the retrospective application of the October 1, 2023, GST amendment and earlier GST interpretations. It will also seek interim relief similar to that granted to others in the gaming industry.

Paytm stated that the SCN will not impact its operations, as the carrying value of its investment in First Games was already nil in Paytm’s consolidated financial statements as of March 2024.

Last Month, Paytm also received a show cause notice from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) against certain allegations attributed to Little Internet Pvt Limited (LIPL) and NearBuy India Pvt Ltd (NIPL).

The development comes ahead of Paytm’s Q4 results. During the third quarter of the previous fiscal year (Q3 FY25), its revenue from operations stood at Rs 1,828 crore, with a loss of Rs 208 crore in the same period.