IPL Ticket Price: You Pay Over 40% Tax On Tickets

IPL Ticket Price: A Rs 4,000 IPL ticket does more than provide you with a seat and the thrill of the stadium. It quietly educates you on the intricacies of daily buying and the taxes involved.

What appears to be one price is actually two taxes piled upon one another. And it’s all perfectly legal. Although you arrived for the match, you depart with an education in the subtleties of pricing.

How much tax do you pay? Discover now.

“Your Rs 4,000 IPL ticket is not just an entry to a match—it’s a tutorial on India’s ‘Tax-on-Tax’ policy,” says efiletax, a tax solutions company, in an X post.

Why your ₹4,000 IPL ticket is a mini masterclass in India’s ‘Tax-on-Tax’ policy playbook.

You’re not just paying to watch the match. You’re funding a policy loophole.#IPL2025 #GST pic.twitter.com/HwvF0jLESr

— efiletax (@efile_tax) March 29, 2025

The post goes into the nitty-gritty of that seemingly simple Rs 4,000 price tag, dissecting the tax structure behind it.

Base price: Rs 2,343.75
Entertainment Tax (25%): Rs 781.25
Subtotal: Rs 3,125.00
GST (28% on subtotal): Rs 875

CGST: Rs 437.50
SGST: Rs 437.50

The final Rs 875 GST isn’t applied to the base ticket price, but to the subtotal, which already includes the entertainment tax. The result? You’re essentially paying tax on another tax.

“GST should be calculated on the base value, but when states add the entertainment tax first, the GST is applied on top of that as well,” the post highlights, pointing out this structural issue.

And this problem isn’t exclusive to cricket.

This is not just an IPL problem. Concerts, stand-up performances, festivals—it’s the same case. Hidden taxation through the ‘one nation, one tax’ paradigm.”

The post also makes a comparison of models around the world:

US: No GST, periodic amusement tax
UK: Uniform VAT of 20%
India: Entertainment Tax + GST

“So, that Rs 4,000 ticket? You’re not only paying for the match, but also for a tax system that quietly adds up costs. Next time someone mentions ‘GST simplifying taxes,’ just show them this ticket.”