report casino winnings?

General cruise casino question for anyone who knows... In land-based US casinos, if you win $1,200 or more on one pull, they are required to issue a 1099-G. Does this also apply on cruises?

My guess is no, since the ship's registry is not US-based, plus the ship is in international waters when the casino is open. So if I get lucky (VERY lucky :D) and win, say $2,000 on one pull, do I have to pay taxes on that? Will I be issued a 1099-G? And what about customs? Should I declare that I'm bringing back more money than I left with? (<--all wishful thinking of course!)

I'd like to hear how those of you who actually won have handled the situation. Did you immediately book another cruise, or bring the money home? Did you declare and pay taxes, or is what you do on the cruise ship really none of their business? (I admit I'm leaning toward the latter. :p)

They do indeed issue a 1099 for winning $1200.00+. Can't remember if it is done on the ship or comes later in the mail.

Good luck!

They do indeed issue a 1099 for winning $1200.00+. Can't remember if it is done on the ship or comes later in the mail.

Good luck!

So do you think it is based on the citizenship of the person who won? Or maybe they have some kind of agreement with the US to report qualifying winnings? Also, if they issue a 1099-G, then would you still have to declare it through customs?

One of the first questions that I asked was do you have to claim the winnings since we were in international waters. The answer was yes, because it it is based on where the ship is ported. They took out the federal taxes immediately and I took some to use on the ship and they mailed me the rest of the money a couple of weeks later. I did not pay state taxes until the end of the tax season. This did beat losing.

It's happened to me on Carnival in the Caribbean and on Royal in the Med.

Yes, if you win more tha $1199, you will be issued a W2G, or a 1099G either immediately or before the cruise ends. Before they pay out the cash, you will have to prove identity and nationality. I don't believe they do this if you are Canadian but I could be mistaken.

No, you don't have to declare the winnings to Customs unless you are entering the US with more than 10K in cash.

Side note: United States Internsl Revenue Service doesn't care if you win $1 gambeling or $5000 gambeling. The winnings are considered earned income and is to be reported. Yes, even that $1 that you won on your lottery ticket.

Now, whether you declare or not is up to you.

So do you think it is based on the citizenship of the person who won? Or maybe they have some kind of agreement with the US to report qualifying winnings? Also, if they issue a 1099-G, then would you still have to declare it through customs?

I am canadian and won 2400$ on the Dream... they asked to see my passport before paying me. No paper issued.

I've had several taxable gambling wins on different cruise ships and cruise lines. I had to provide government issued ID prior to being given the money.

On wins of less than $5,000, I was given the choice of electing tax withholding. On wins of more than $5,000, 20% Federal Tax was deducted.

On any taxable gambling win, i.e., greater than $1,200, I received a 1099G or other tax form that was to be included in my annual tax returns.

DH won 3600 playing video poker, and we got a check and then 1099 mailed to us. Did not have to clear going through customs. We were happy!

obviously this only applies to a slot machine, as you can win thousands in BJ or Craps and no one would know.

obviously this only applies to a slot machine, as you can win thousands in BJ or Craps and no one would know.

You can win thousands on a slot on several hits if you are darn lucky, and if no win exceeds the 600 to 1 odds, those winnings are tax free.

I don't know of many payoffs on table games that exceed the 600 to 1 odds limit. Perhaps some of the bonus royal flushes? I admit I mainly enjoy the mindless diversion of slots or video poker and have not paid attention to the pay out odds offered.

I'm guessing a winning $100 bet on a roulette wheel, yielding $3,500 is tax free, since the payoff is 35 to 1.

Canadian here also. Won about 2200 and got to keep it all. US still got its share though. I spent it on furniture before I crossed the border back into Canada.

You can win thousands on a slot on several hits if you are darn lucky, and if no win exceeds the 600 to 1 odds, those winnings are tax free.

 

I don't know of many payoffs on table games that exceed the 600 to 1 odds limit. Perhaps some of the bonus royal flushes? I admit I mainly enjoy the mindless diversion of slots or video poker and have not paid attention to the pay out odds offered.

 

I'm guessing a winning $100 bet on a roulette wheel, yielding $3,500 is tax free, since the payoff is 35 to 1.

None of the winnings are tax free.

Whether it meets the limit where the casino is required to report and submit by law is another story.

The individual winning this money (if a US Citizen) is still required by law to claim these winnings as Earned Income. A professional gambler has to maintain strict logs on winnings and losses.

I hit a royal flush playing max credits on video poker which paid off $1250. Never got a tax form for it, no one had to 'verify' the win.

I printed out the ticket with my $$ credit and took it to the cage. Paid off in cash, and we put it on our on-board account. I had fun at the spa that week...

Canadian here also. Won about 2200 and got to keep it all. US still got its share though. I spent it on furniture before I crossed the border back into Canada.

Your story reminds me of the trick my Mom used to play on grumpy Dad, who hated spending money on furniture, appliances, carpetting, etc.

They would go to a local casino, my Dad enjoyed that. Mom would load up her machine with $20 bills when he was in the next aisle, then print the ticket and tell Dad she wanted to get a new sofa or washing machine with her "winnings".

Dad couldn't complain that Mom was spending their household money. He fell for this tactic several times and would wonder how come she was always so lucky. She kept her "winnings" under the taxable limit too.

General cruise casino question for anyone who knows... In land-based US casinos, if you win $1,200 or more on one pull, they are required to issue a 1099-G. Does this also apply on cruises?

 

My guess is no, since the ship's registry is not US-based, plus the ship is in international waters when the casino is open. So if I get lucky (VERY lucky :D) and win, say $2,000 on one pull, do I have to pay taxes on that? Will I be issued a 1099-G? And what about customs? Should I declare that I'm bringing back more money than I left with? (<--all wishful thinking of course!)

 

I'd like to hear how those of you who actually won have handled the situation. Did you immediately book another cruise, or bring the money home? Did you declare and pay taxes, or is what you do on the cruise ship really none of their business? (I admit I'm leaning toward the latter. :p)

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Don't worry to much about winning on a ship.

There are lots of references to 1099-G here. I don't think that's the form you'd receive from a gambling win. According to this page, "A form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments, is issued to taxpayers who are in receipt of unemployment compensation paid by the government; state or local income tax refunds, credits, or offsets; reemployment trade adjustment assistance (RTAA) payments; taxable grants; or agricultural payments."

The form that gamblers get is the W-2G: "File Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings, to report gambling winnings and any federal income tax withheld on those winnings. The requirements for reporting and withholding depend on the type of gambling, the amount of the gambling winnings, and generally the ratio of the winnings to the wager. "

According to the previously linked form, a W-2G is used to report winnings if:

1. The winnings (not reduced by the wager) are $1,200 or more from a bingo game or slot machine,
   
2. The winnings (reduced by the wager) are $1,500 or more from a keno game,
   
3. The winnings (reduced by the wager or buy-in) are more than $5,000 from a poker tournament,
   
4. The winnings (except winnings from bingo, slot machines, keno, and poker tournaments) reduced, at the option of the payer, by the wager are:
   1. $600 or more, and
      
   2. At least 300 times the amount of the wager, or

[*]The winnings are subject to federal income tax withholding (either regular gambling withholding or backup withholding).

There are lots of references to 1099-G here. I don't think that's the form you'd receive from a gambling win.

 

The form that gamblers get is the W-2G: "File Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings

Yes, you are right. My mistake. Thanks for the correction.

In the US your winnings can be offset by losses.

Royal Caribbean never gave me a form or withheld taxes. Being Canadian wasn't the reason as they didn't ask to see my passport. In US land casinos, even though we don't pay tax on gambling winnings in Canada, the 30% is still withheld and has to be claimed back from the IRS.

I've gotten a W2G win almost every cruise, with different Lines.

(VP or Slot win in excess of $1,200)

Never have they deducted anything from my Win amount. (maybe different for Canadians, I don't know)

And I've Always been given the W2G form while sitting AT the machine when they Paid me.

My last cruise was May on the Gem. On my last night I won $1250. I gave an id, received cash and a tax form. No taxes were taken out, so I have to pay at tax time.

My last cruise was May on the Gem. On my last night I won $1250. I gave an id, received cash and a tax form. No taxes were taken out, so I have to pay at tax time.

Unless you have Losses to cover it. ;)

Unless you have Losses to cover it. ;)

To get that deduction you have to itemize deductions. If you file an EZ form or don't itemize, you just include it in your miscellaneous income and pay taxes. I guess you could win enough that the corresponding loss would be more than your standard deduction, but personally I've never won that much. :o

Unfortunately, last year was the first time I didn't itemize. The children have moved out. I'm helping with student loans, but the kids get the credit. I didn't have enough deductions so had to claim my small winnings and will have to this year also.

I have won several jackpots on VP on Carnival and Princess ranging from 2K (love those 4 deuces) and 1 royal flush for 8K. With i.d. I got cash immediately with W2g in my cabin mail within a day or two. I DID end up with more than 10k in cash but just split with my husband when we disembarked. And we went through separate customs lines. We have different last names.

Upon request, they will send you win/loss statements showing coin in/out for VP and slots. contemporaneous note-taking on BJ bets and losses is good enough back-up if you are audited. Pretty simple.

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