Once reluctant to collect taxes, Airbnb is now helping out the taxman.

The home rental service said Wednesday it has agreements with 275 governments to collect and remit hotel and other tourist taxes. This includes the US, France, India, the Netherlands and Portugal.

"Over the last three years, we've partnered with hundreds of governments around the globe to make it easier for our hosts and guests to pay their fair share of hotel and tourist taxes," Airbnb wrote in a blog post.

Founded in 2008, Airbnb now operates in 190 countries and has more than 3 million listings. Getting there hasn't been easy, however. Airbnb has battled regulators, hotel groups and housing advocates who have cast the service as responsible for tightening housing markets. Regulators have also complained that Airbnb caused cities to lose out on the tax revenue that hotels pay.

But that started to change a couple of years ago. Airbnb started collecting taxes in Portland, Oregon, and then San Francisco in 2014. It quickly followed suit with other cities around the world.

As of May 1, more than half of Airbnb's listings in the US will be in districts where it collects and remits taxes -- that equals 250 jurisdictions. This includes a new deal with the state of Texas and three agreements with major counties in Florida. Airbnb also has sealed new agreements with 31 cities in France.

All said, Airbnb has collected and remitted $240 million worth of hotel taxes around the world.

"And we are actively working to expand this program," Airbnb said.

First published April 12, 11:23 a.m. PT.
Update, 4:18 p.m.: Clarifies that Airbnb collected taxes in Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco in 2014.

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