Do I Have to Pay Income Tax for Gambling Losses?

Gambling is simply the wagering on something of equal value with the aim of winning something else with an uncertain future outcome. Gambling must have three key ingredients in order to be a valid game: risk, consideration, and a reward. Without risk there can be no reward. This is true whether the risk taking is for money or some other tangible item. And without consideration it can be pointless because without it there would be no incentive to participate in the first place.

Without risk then gambling activity cannot be legitimate and people would not participate. The risk a gambler takes when he places a bet relates to the likelihood of losing and the possible gain he might get if he wins. In order to have a chance at winning then the person must be willing to take a risk. To be willing to take that risk then one must be able to discern what kind of risk is involved in playing a certain game and how much gain is likely to result from it. Then he must be able to calculate how much he is willing to wagered and determine what odds are fair given his knowledge of the game.

When all these pieces of the puzzle fit together then the chances of success are increased. In a sense then gambling is basically an attempt at money making. For example a gambler that earns twenty dollars per day might consider gambling as a form of earning an income tax refund. Gambling may seem like a lot of money to someone but consider how much it can be used for in food, housing, transportation and insurance.

In the United States a gambler may claim an annual gambling income of twenty five percent on his federal tax return. But the total income really doesn’t include all of the wagers he might be making as part of his gaming activities. Those wagers are reported on the individual income tax return. The Internal Revenue Service calls these wagers as non-refundable Winnings.

A lotteries are considered as income or gains. They are reported by the taxpayer and included in his gross income. A lotteries can be won in poker tournaments or blackjack. Blackjack is probably the most famous gambling event of the 20th century and also of the world in general. The Internal Revenue Service allows individuals to claim the winnings in the form of interest.

It’s a good thing that today there are professional gamblers that help people with their gambling problems. In fact professional gamblers can help their clients stop gambling. A professional gambler will consult a person if the gambler is not sure of the right decision to make because they are the expert on this issue. The professional gamblers will tell their clients about the right way to bet and the proper way not to gamble.