GST 2.0: Watching Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill in IPL just got costlier, placed with non-essential & luxury items

Enjoying a match of Indian Premier League (IPL) from the stadium is now more expensive as the revised GST structure places tickets of the cash-rich cricket tournament and similar sporting events at 40 per cent, up from 28 per cent.

The sharp increase places IPL tickets in the highest GST slab, alongside casinos, race clubs, and luxury goods, which will directly impact price for cricket fans across India.

Earlier, a Rs 1000 IPL ticket would be levied 28 per cent GST, taking the total to Rs 1,280. With the new 40 per cent rate, the same ticket will now cost Rs 1,400, which is Rs 120 more for every Rs 1000 spent or a 10 per cent increase.

Here’s how the increase plays out at different price points:

• A Rs 500 ticket now costs Rs 700 instead of Rs 640
• A Rs 1,000 ticket now costs Rs 1,400 instead of Rs 1,280
• A Rs 2,000 ticket now costs Rs 2,800 instead of Rs 2,560

GST 2.0 is uniform across all IPL tickets and other high-value sports events. It is now placed in sectors considered non-essential and luxury. This is a shift in how sports entertainment is taxed, aligning match-viewing with consumption of goods like tobacco or services like betting.

However, tickets to regular cricket matches remain at 18 per cent, meaning IPL and similar premium leagues are uniquely affected by the 40 per cent rate.

Meanwhile, cinephiles can enjoy cheaper tickets. Entry to films priced up to Rs 100 will now draw 5 per cent GST with h input tax credit (ITC), down from 12 per cent. Tickets priced above Rs 100 will continue to attract 18% GST with ITC, with no change in the rate

The new tax rate is a part of a broader GST overhaul that taxes sin goods and high-end discretionary spending. For IPL attendees, it means steeper prices per ticket and a heavier tax burden per match, even before factoring in stadium charges and online booking fees.