The Supreme Court of India has scheduled May 5 as the date to begin hearing a series of critical pleas filed by online gaming companies against the retrospective imposition of 28 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on real-money gaming platforms.

The matter came up on Tuesday before a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala, who noted that the Court was prepared to hear arguments immediately. However, considering that the parties involved indicated that they would need four to five days to present their case, the matter was officially posted for detailed hearings beginning May 5, Business Standard reported.

This ongoing legal battle stems from the Centre’s move to levy GST at 28 percent on the full value of bets placed on online gaming platforms, rather than just on the gross gaming revenue, a decision that has sparked widespread concern across the gaming industry. Prominent gaming firms such as Head Digital Works, Games24x7, and Dream11 have challenged the government’s move, contending that such a tax should only be applied from October 1, 2023, when the law was officially amended.