Posted on July 27th, 2009
do you have to report online poker earnings to the IRS?
by admin in Uncategorized
Jessica G asked:
Do you have to report your earnings from playing poker online to the IRS on your taxes?
Do you have to report your earnings from playing poker online to the IRS on your taxes?
If so, is there a designated amount that doesn’t need to be reported – and everything above that does?
If it matters by state – I am curious about California.
Also, the way the monies are received from the poker site are via check.
Absolute Today
July 27th, 2009 at 4:10 am
Absolute Today
Yes. All income, legal and illegal, is subject to taxation.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:24 am
Absolute Today
I’m pretty sure that it is illegal to gamble online for money in the US, so I would probably not report any of that activity.
July 29th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Absolute Today
Legally, yes you do. Also, legally, if your winnings are over $600 (total for the year) the site must send you a 1099-misc for the amount you won, and also report it to the IRS.
If you follow the IRS rules for keeping an accurate log of ALL of your gambling activity for the year, and IF you itemize, you can deduct losses up to the amount of your winnings, so might not have to pay tax on the entire amount that you won.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Absolute Today
Technically you are required to report ALL gambling winnings, even if the winnings are from illegal gambling
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:21 am
Absolute Today
Unless your TOTAL income is low enough that you are not required to file, you are legally required to report ALL income. Even if you only make $0.01 form a given source, that penny is supposed to be reported. on-line gabling is not legal in the US, but illegal income is taxable. On-line losses are NOT deductible against winnings because illegal expenses are specifically not deductible.
Judy is correct about losses from LEGAL gambling being an itemized deduction against gambling winnings. Losses from ILLEGAL gambling are not deductible. ALL on-line gambling is illegal under US Federal law.
August 6th, 2009 at 2:10 am
Absolute Today
all income has to be reported to the irs!!!