Category Archives: Gambling

The Swedish tax agency, Skatteverket, is targeting online poker players and affiliates. Skatteverket uses an online “spider,” or web crawler, to find web sites that appear to be income producing. They then investigate to see if they’ve reported income and/or … Continue reading →

Today the Tax Court looked at the case of a “pathological gambler.” This isn’t a problem gambler. As the Court noted, “A pathological gambling disorder is a type of impulse control disorder and mental illness, not an “addiction”. This disorder … Continue reading →

The Tax Court looked at another gambler’s attempt to write off substantial gambling losses. She claimed a losing year, but the IRS felt otherwise. Did she really have gambling losses, or were they a mirage? Gamblers, both professional or amateur, … Continue reading →

I have had several individuals request that I repost an article that originally appeared on TwoPlusTwo.com’s Internet Magazine. Without further ado, here is the article that first appeared in the February 2007 TwoPlusTwo Internet Magazine. TAX MYTHS FOR THE POKER … Continue reading →

Can a woman who owns and operates a trucking business also be considered a professional gambler? That’s what the Tax Court had to decide. Linda Myers operated a trucking business in the Twin Cities. The trucking business was substantial; there … Continue reading →

As I reported earlier, the IRS has revisited Revenue Procedure 2007-57, which would have required withholding on all poker tournament payouts of more than $5,000. I had been told by someone at the IRS that the IRS was going to … Continue reading →

The Las Vegas Sun reports today that the American Gaming Association and the IRS reached agreement that for poker tournaments if a casino/cardroom issues W-2Gs, then withholding at 25% will not be required on wins above $5,000. >From the IRS’s … Continue reading →

A reader asks, “I’m currently studying in undergraduate university in the U.S., where I hold my only citizenship. I was thinking about studying abroad, probably in Australia. I was thinking about going from around Jan.1-December 31st of 2009, or from … Continue reading →

A CPA likes to gamble, and shows his gambling activity as a second business (his other business activity is his accounting practice). The IRS challenges this, claiming that he’s really an amateur gambler. The Tax Court has to decide who … Continue reading →