You have to wait until after December 31 to start the US tax recovery process. Gambling winnings and losses are reported annually.

Beware of Companies that state they can file your taxes from current year winnings before December 31 by pretending the income was from a prior year. The IRS considers this a false tax return which is a serious offence and may prevent you from entering the United States in the future.

Canadians need to be able to substantiate their gambling losses, as the amount of their refund depends on the amount of gambling losses incurred in the United States throughout the calender year. The IRS will accept a diary of your winnings and losses. Your diary should contain the following information:

1. The date and type of gambling activity
2. The location of the gambling establishment
3. The names of other persons present with you at the gambling establishment
4. The amount(s) you won or lost

Also, keep any wagering tickets, Win/Loss tax statements, receipts from cashing cheques at the casino or withdrawing money from an ATM machine in or near the casino.

Poker players should keep " Buy in receipts" for tournaments and a record of money won and lost in cash games in the USA for the year of taxable wins.

You cannot use losses from the following games to offset your winnings as they are exempt from tax: baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette and Big-6 wheel. If the casino deducted tax on an exempt game you are entitled to a complete refund without reference to losses.

If you do not have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number it takes 12 to 18 weeks. If you already have a number it usually takes 8 weeks.

We charge a flat fee based on the amount of time we estimate the service requires. If you have a large refund, competitors that charge a percentage of your refund can charge hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than we do. Other competitors charge a flat fee of $150.00 per winnings slip and do not give a discount for multiple slips within the same tax filing year.

We feel that our fees are fair and make good business sense in the long run. After all, if you feel you have been treated fairly you are more likely to recommend our service.

Up until June 15 you can file and recover the casino tax withheld for the current tax year and the prior 3 years. After June 15 you can only recover the current tax year and the prior 2 years.

Yes any U.S.A. gambling activity that involves wagers qualifies. Large lottery winners, however, are not likely to have sufficient wagering losses for a meaningful tax recovery.

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