SBI Credit Card Rules Update: No Reward Points on Gaming and Government Transactions from September 1, 2025
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Come September 1, 2025, SBI Card customers will notice a shift in their rewards programme. The issuer has revised its policy, cutting off reward points on specific transactions such as online gaming spends and government-related payments for select cards.
This move is part of the company’s broader review of its rewards structure.
Lifestyle Home Centre SBI Card
Lifestyle Home Centre SBI Card SELECT
Lifestyle Home Centre SBI Card PRIME
Previously, in December 2024, SBI Card had made similar changes by restricting reward points on gaming-related transactions across a few cards.
Other Key Points to Note
A rewards redemption fee of ₹99 plus taxes will apply for each redemption processed.
This fee covers costs related to processing and delivery, particularly for physical products and statement credits.
Customers can continue using their existing SBI Card login credentials to access the rewards portal without any additional registration.
Industry Trend: Not Just SBI
SBI Card isn’t alone in tightening rules. Earlier in June 2025, HDFC Bank announced a similar update, stating that from July 1, 2025, reward points would no longer be awarded on online skill-based gaming spends across all its credit cards.
With both SBI and HDFC revising their rewards policies, credit card users need to be more mindful of how they spend if they want to maximise their points. While everyday purchases may still earn rewards, payments towards gaming and government services will no longer offer the same benefit.
What’s Changing?
From September 1 onwards, users holding certain SBI credit cards will not earn reward points on:- Transactions made on digital gaming platforms
- Payments made on government portals
This move is part of the company’s broader review of its rewards structure.
Cards Impacted by the Update
The changes specifically affect the following SBI credit cards:Lifestyle Home Centre SBI Card
Lifestyle Home Centre SBI Card SELECT
Lifestyle Home Centre SBI Card PRIME
Previously, in December 2024, SBI Card had made similar changes by restricting reward points on gaming-related transactions across a few cards.
Other Key Points to Note
A rewards redemption fee of ₹99 plus taxes will apply for each redemption processed.
This fee covers costs related to processing and delivery, particularly for physical products and statement credits.
Customers can continue using their existing SBI Card login credentials to access the rewards portal without any additional registration.
Industry Trend: Not Just SBI
SBI Card isn’t alone in tightening rules. Earlier in June 2025, HDFC Bank announced a similar update, stating that from July 1, 2025, reward points would no longer be awarded on online skill-based gaming spends across all its credit cards.
With both SBI and HDFC revising their rewards policies, credit card users need to be more mindful of how they spend if they want to maximise their points. While everyday purchases may still earn rewards, payments towards gaming and government services will no longer offer the same benefit.
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