IPL ticket prices surge as 40% GST kicks in, making live cricket a luxury for fans – cricexec

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Home › Domestic & Franchise › IPL ticket prices surge as 40% GST kicks in, making live cricket a luxury for fans
With a new 40% GST rate on sports events, IPL ticket prices are set to rise sharply — raising concerns about affordability and access for average cricket fans
By Cricexec Staff
September 8, 2025
|   7:07 am
Attending an Indian Premier League (IPL) match just became significantly more expensive. Starting September 22, 2025, tickets to IPL games and similar premium sporting events will now be taxed at 40%, up from the previous 28%, placing them in India’s highest Goods and Services Tax (GST) bracket.
According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, the revised tax rate applies to a category that includes casinos, race clubs, and IPL matches, all of which now fall under luxury taxation.
“Admission to casinos, race clubs, any place having casinos or race clubs or sporting events like IPL will have GST of 40 percent with ITC (Input Tax Credit),” the Ministry of Finance release stated.
The 40% GST rate means a significant increase across all common ticket price points. Here’s how the final ticket cost changes under the new regime:
This 12% jump in effective cost highlights the shifting tax treatment of commercial sporting events, bringing them closer to luxury services in the eyes of the tax code.
The GST hike classifies IPL tickets as part of high-end discretionary spending, similar to sin goods and betting services. This is the first time that a major sports league in India has been taxed at the same level as casinos and race clubs, underlining the government’s new approach to what it considers high-value entertainment.
The Press Information Bureau’s circular referred specifically to “sporting events like the IPL,” further distinguishing it from other cricketing and sporting formats.
The tax change notably does not apply to all cricket. Tickets to international matches and other recognized sporting events remain under the standard or exempt categories, depending on price.
“Admission to other sporting events including recognised sporting events where the ticket price is not more than `500 continues to be exempt, and if the ticket price is more than Rs. 500, it continues to be taxed at the standard rate of 18 per cent,” the rule states.
This means a ₹1,000 (approx. $11.34) ticket to an international cricket match will now cost ₹1,180 (approx. $13.38) under the revised 18% GST — compared to ₹1,400 (approx. $15.88) for an IPL match.
Tickets priced below ₹500 (approx. $5.67) for these non-IPL matches will remain completely tax-free.
The new tax structure comes into effect just a week before the start of the Women’s World Cup, the next international event to be hosted in India. While ticket sales have yet to begin, fans will likely benefit from lower GST rates when attending matches during the tournament.
With IPL franchises setting their own ticket prices — independent of the BCCI — the GST burden will directly impact how much fans pay per match. Although ticket sales are only a small part of franchise revenue, the increase could affect stadium attendance, especially for casual fans.

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