I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the practicalities of a Brit moving to Las Vegas full time.

My question isn’t necessarily specific to LV, since I imagine the same limitations will apply wherever I goe in US.

My current main concerns are around:

- How long can I stay in US without a Visa? (I think it’s 3 months)
- If I fly back to UK after 3 months in US and return a week later, is this ok? How long can I keep that up for?
- If I don’t have a visa, but I play professionally in US, should I pay taxes?
- Am I, technically, allowed to gamble professionally in the US without a visa?
- How easy is it for me to institutionalize myself in US without a visa? Can I (officially) rent a house? Can I open a bank account?
- Presumably I wouldn’t get a visa as a professional gambler? If I did, presumably I would then definitely be obliged to pay US taxes?

Any help on any of the questions above would be much appreciated.

I hope I’ve posted this in the appropriate section but please feel free to move it if not.

Many thanks in advance

Jasper

just curious, why would you want to? you have casinos there and all over france. you can play online all you want. i dont get why you would want to.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

You don't understand why he would want to play poker in Las Vegas? Really?

OP I would browse this http://travel.state.gov/visa/

Should answer most of your questions.

Hi

I'm over here and British, married to a US citizen so a different situation but I'll answer where I can

- How long can I stay in US without a Visa? (I think it’s 3 months)
90 days and they are very strict on this

- If I fly back to UK after 3 months in US and return a week later, is this ok? How long can I keep that up for?

No, rule of thumb is having to be out of the country as long as you were here (may work but likely you will be sent straight home)

- If I don’t have a visa, but I play professionally in US, should I pay taxes?

I think you have to declare winnings over 10k at airport when you leave, not sure on payment of taxes but you wouldn't file a normal US return as you would have no tax number and wouldn't officially be working

- Am I, technically, allowed to gamble professionally in the US without a visa?

Your allowed to gamble, professionalism of that is semantics I wouldn't mention it.

- How easy is it for me to institutionalize myself in US without a visa? Can I (officially) rent a house? Can I open a bank account?

Not easy most normal houses would want a 6 month min contract and you can only stay for 3, I'm unsure on bank account. Rooms will be easy to rent for 3 months through craigslist

- Presumably I wouldn’t get a visa as a professional gambler? If I did, presumably I would then definitely be obliged to pay US taxes?

0% chance of getting a work visa as a gambler, even a normal work visa is almost impossible unless you are requested to move here by a US firm who has to show a US citizen couldn't do the job, or be in the media (TV star etc).

PM me if I can be of any more help

well seeing as how you can make way more online. the fact that poker isnt taxed in uk (this is correct?) the fact that im sure there are places to play in uk or at worst jump in the chunnel and go to aviation club. yes i see very little upside vs the cost and hassle.

so where am i wrong?

Realised if you have only made one post you can't PM (think 10 is the minimum)

So just ask questions on here

Brits don't have to pay tax on winnings in Las Vegas and nothing is even withheld, you just show them your passport and fill out a form. We've got a tax treaty with the US, very handy.

90 days is the max without getting a tourist visa, with which you can have 6 months. That apparently isn't easy for everybody because you have to apply at the American Embassy and prove to them you have plenty of money and won't be looking for work, so it's easy for retirees with a home in Florida, but less so for young people going to Las Vegas, not that I've ever tried. I've heard the theory that you can probably do 3 months in, 3 months out, then come back for 3 months... but it's entirely down to the agents at the border. I've always stuck to max 3 months a year as that's enough for me anyway.

I've met many Brits and Irish at the poker tables who arrived years ago and just never left, they got jobs in bars or whatever. I think that's pretty stupid because they're then stuck as an illegal. If they go home, they can't come back to the US without applying for a visa, and for 10 years at least, they'll be banned. And the life they've made in the US can be taken from them at any moment. The best chance you have to settle as a gambler in the US, is get married to an American, but it would have to be a legit marriage or you run the risk of being done for visa fraud and banned for life.

You'll have a hard time opening a bank account, but given you can only be there 90 days, you probably don't need a domestic account anyway. I have a Citibank US$ account based in the UK where I keep my $ roll so I'm not always paying fees or worrying about the safety of online wallets.

As for rentals, there are some places that rent month to month, that's the best you can do. I've stayed at the MGM Signature and the Desert Rose Resort. Other threads wil talk about the Meridian as well, Palms Place, Vdara. Cheapest thing to do is share a house, but I'm too much of a loner to do that.

You haven't said if you've played in Vegas before or not. You may find that 90 days is plenty before you desperately need a break from the place anyway, and there are other places in the world to play.

90 days

Don't know would be interested. I flew over in October stayed for 2 months, went back for to UK for six weeks. Now back in Vegas for the 90 days. Some questioning at airport but fine. Vegas summers are far too hot for me so five months a year looks fine to me.

UK and US have a tax agreement so that you pay UK taxes in US. Which is fine as tax on gambling winning is optional in UK. However if you win a big tournament or something, its likely the casino will pay US tax for you, and you will have to claim it back later.

You can gamble in US, you are even allowed to win. Just drop the professional bit it just confuses people.

I do not see why there should be a problem.

I think there is some sort of two year visa. You should be able to get it, but read up on the best lines to give the issuers. But you are still a UK citizen so pay UK taxes, which on gambling winnings is entirely optional.

BTW anyone wanting to know why would a brit want to play in America. £10 rake verses $4. A fortnight in America and you can easily pay the airfare out of the amount you save in rake.

You forgot the most important thing; free booze!

Fun. Life Experience. Vegas baby Vegas!!! Believe it or not this excites some people. You should get away from the computer sometime and go outside.

This is pretty spot on. The problem is that you will be here (I presume) on a tourist visa. Working, going to school, trying to stay here permanently will eventually lead to problems. An immigration official has pretty wide discretion to refuse your entry and if they get wind of a long term lease or that you are playing for a living rather than merely recreationally they can refuse your entry as inconsistent with the terms of your visa. (Technically you'd be under the visa waiver program but entrants under that program are treated as if entering under a tourist visa.)

Here's more info about the visa waiver program:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...hout_1990.html

Guys thanks very much for the responses. Pleasantly surprised by both the quality and quantity. Will respond to the messages separately. Keeps it cleaner and gets my post count up

Fair question. Whilst poker is set to represent a decent share of my income out there, historically the majority of my income has come from counting cards.