Wager Mage
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Does Betmgm report to IRS?

The answer, in short, is yes. The IRS considers any money that you win while logged into an online casino, or when playing in-person at a land-based gambling establishment or event, taxable income.

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It’s always extremely exciting when you rake in impressive winnings when playing your favorite online casino games or when out for the night at a land-based casino. Unfortunately, though, the high that comes with a win can quickly turn into a downer if you don’t ensure that you’re on the right track regarding your taxes. So, are casino winnings taxable? The answer, in short, is yes. The IRS considers any money that you win while logged into an online casino, or when playing in-person at a land-based gambling establishment or event, taxable income. Other forms of winnings that you’ll need to pay tax on include any winnings collected through successful sports betting, winning the lottery or winning money on a game show. Even tiny winnings from things like scratch cards need to be reported and taxed. Luckily, it’s not all bad news. Read on for details.

Are gambling losses deductible?

Gambling winnings are indeed taxable, but the saving grace is that gambling losses are deductible. If you want to be certain that you’re not paying too much (or too little!), it’s vital that you keep comprehensive records of the outcomes of your sessions whenever you play casino games. Along with an accurate gambling log, this could also mean holding onto payment slips, statements and receipts detailing how much you’ve won or lost. After all, you’ll need to supply proof of any winnings and/or losses to ensure they’re properly taxed or deducted.

What details should be included in my gambling log?

According to the IRS, your gambling log should include the following information:

The date on which you gambled

The type of gambling activity in which you took part

The name and URL of the online casino or the name and address of the land-based casino or gambling event

The names of other people taking part, if applicable

How much money you won or lost

What is Form W-2G and when is it necessary?

Form W-2G is the document dedicated to reporting how much you’ve won through your gambling activities and how much, if any, has already been withheld for tax purposes. Usually, Form W-2G is sent to you by the casino or event organizer responsible for paying out any significant winnings. You can expect to receive this form before the end of January following the year in which you won the money in question. Generally, you can expect to receive Form W-2G if you won over $5,000 while playing the lottery, sweepstakes or a casino table game such as poker; over $1,200 while playing bingo or a slot machine; or over $1,500 while playing keno. You’ll also receive the form if the casino or event organizer withheld any tax (usually 24%) from your winnings (which is expected to happen in most of the favorable outcomes mentioned above.) Remember, not everyone who plays casino games will receive and need to complete and submit Form W-2G, but everyone who takes part in any form of gambling with real money needs to report their winnings on their tax return. If you don’t receive Form W-2G, you’ll need to report your winnings as “Other Income” on Form 1040. Did you know? Any money won from playing a skill-based casino game, like poker or blackjack, usually doesn’t involve withheld taxes – although you’ll still need to report these winnings in your return!

How much tax do I have to pay on my gambling winnings?

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Which state has the strictest gambling laws?

Texas is one of the strictest states when it comes to gambling and its laws can cover a wide variety of activities.

Texas is one of the strictest states when it comes to gambling and its laws can cover a wide variety of activities. Under Texas law, (Penal Code §47.02) gambling is considered a criminal offense if someone: makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate; or plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, balls, or any other gambling device. The law does provide for some exceptions such as participating in the state lottery or placing bets on horse and greyhound dog races (sometimes referred to as pari-mutuel wagering). The law also provides for some affirmative defenses to prosecution:

the actor engaged in gambling in a private place;

no person received any economic benefit other than personal winnings; and

except for the advantage of skill or luck, the risks of losing and the chances of winning were the same for all participants

was permitted under Chapter 2001, Occupations Code; (Charitable Bingo)

was permitted under Chapter 2002, Occupations Code; (Charitable Raffles)

was permitted under Chapter 2004, Occupations Code; (Sports Charity Raffles)

The first page of this guide will provide you with an overview of the Texas laws on gambling while the subsequent pages will discuss more specific topics like bingo, eight-liners and poker.

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