There are winners and losers in gambling. But even winners can lose if they don’t pay taxes! Any money you win at gambling or betting is considered taxable by the IRS. Do you pay taxes on casino winnings?
The same applies to fair market value of items won. Income from gambling is not just card games and casinos; includes winnings from race tracks, game shows, lotteries and even Bingo. In the case of income from gambling, certain specific rules apply and the record keeping requirements are strict. However, you can deduct your gambling losses.
Is income from gambling taxable?
The answer is yes, but the good thing about gambling tax law for big winners is that, unlike income taxes, gambling taxes are not progressive. Whether you win $ 1,500 on the slot machine or $ 1 million at the poker table, the tax rate you owe for your gambling winnings is 24% (previously 25%). When you win a jackpot on a large slot machine, the casino is obliged to keep 24% after receiving the prize; also provides an IRS form, called W2-G, to report its winnings to the government.
What does the IRS consider to be gambling?
The IRS believes that any money won from gambling or betting – or the fair market value of the items won – is taxable income. Income from gambling is not limited to card games and casinos; includes winnings from race tracks, game shows, lotteries and even bingo. There are stringent requirements for keeping records, but you can deduct your gambling losses.
What are the winning thresholds?
It is important to know the thresholds that require income reporting by the payer. Payments must report IRS winnings in the following amounts:
- $ 600 or more on the horse track (if it is 300 times more than a bet)
- $ 1,200 or more on a slot machine or bingo game
- $ 1,500 or more in Keno wins
- $ 5,000 or more in poker tournament winnings
All of these require providing the payer with a social security number, as well as completing the IRS W2-G form to report the full prize amount. In most cases, the casino collects 25 percent of your IRS winnings before paying you.
Not all gambling winnings in the above amounts are subject to the IRS W2-G form. W2-G forms are not required to win at table games such as blackjack, dice, baccarat and roulette, regardless of the amount. Remember that this does not mean that you are exempt from paying taxes or reporting tax winnings. All gambling winnings should be reported to the IRS. It just means that you don’t have to fill out the W2-G form for these specific table games.
Gambling losses
You can deduct your gambling losses if you specify your deductions. You can only deduct your losses up to your total gambling winnings. In general, you must report your winnings and losses separately instead of reporting the net amount.
Gambling losses are deducted in Annex A as a different offset and are not subject to the 2% limit. This means you can deduct all losses to your winnings, not just over 2% of your adjusted gross income.
Do casinos report their gambling earnings to the IRS?
Yes, but there are some thresholds that must be exceeded for the casino to report winnings. The threshold for which gambling winnings must be reported to the IRS varies depending on the type of game. On the horse track you must report any winnings exceeding $ 600 or 300 times your initial bet. For slot machines and bingo, you must report all winnings exceeding $ 1,200. In a poker tournament, you must report winnings over $ 5000.
Taxes for professional players
If gambling is a person’s actual occupation, then proceeds from gambling are usually considered regular income and are taxed at the normal effective tax rate of the taxpayer.
