do you have to report online poker earnings to the IRS?

Question

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.

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

Technically you are required to report ALL gambling winnings, even if the winnings are from illegal gambling

Answer 4

all income has to be reported to the irs!!!

Answer 5

Yes. All income, legal and illegal, is subject to taxation.

Answer 6

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.