Gambling losses can be deducted, but they can't exceed the winnings you report as income. The winnings you claim as income include the cost of gambling, or the original wager or bet. Your gambling winnings and losses are reported separately in your tax return. That total is then added to Form 1040 line 8, under 'other income.' Your gambling losses will not be easy to deduct Once you have your records together, you'll need to report your winnings as 'gambling income' on line 8 of your Form 1040, Schedule 1, which is used to report types of income not listed on the primary 1040 tax form. For that reason, experts recommend keeping a good record of your gambling wins and losses throughout the year.įortunately, many gambling and casino sites have a downloadable record of your bets. You're still responsible for tracking and reporting all income won through gambling.
If you didn't receive the forms, you're not off the hook, either. This will be indicated in Box 4 of your W-2G. If the winnings are $5,000 or greater, the business that processed your bet might withhold up to 31% of the proceeds for federal income tax, according to the IRS. The IRS can use these forms to verify your total income when it processes your tax return. Typically, when you win $600 or more, gambling businesses will send you and the IRS tax forms, commonly a W-2G, but sometimes a 1099-MISC for raffle or sweepstake prizes.
