I understand that if you win over $5,000 in a poker tournament you will be given a W2G. Can you refuse to give your social security number and still get paid? I don't mind if extra money is withheld because of this...I just feel uncomfortable giving my social security number to a casino employee.

Has anybody here refused to give their social security number?

Failure to provide a SSN number or other foreign tax documentation will result in your removal from the property. Just kidding.

Yes, it's required. As far as I know now, you're required by law to give your SSN in order to get a players card now. Unless they repealed that law. (It Went into affect Jul 07)

Tell them your SSN is 000-000-0001

i had to provide my SSN when I won an 800 winner's share of a bad beat jackpot. I didn't try to refuse because, well, I don't see why you'd want to other than because you're trying to dodge taxes.

You should be able to refuse. However expect to have them take withholding from the proceeds. You may runb into a problem because poker room employee may not know what to do so he may refuse to pay.

The regulation (on tournament wins over $5000) is that if you do not give taxpayer id number, they must withold 28% but give you the rest.

I am not trying to dodge taxes at all. I would even let them take EXTRA withholdings if it meant that I did not have to provide my social security number. I just dont trust a casino employee with my social security number. It would be so easy to commit identity theft.

Nobody else here is worried about giving a casino employee your social security number and all the information needed to financially rape you?

Is this a federal law? Does every casino have to comply with this? I would have no problem letting them withhold 28% if it meant I did not have to give them my SSN

identity theft is a myth.

Its a myth until it happens to you. It happened to my cousin and I saw the nightmare he had to go though to clear everything up. It took him months and hours of phone calls to get it straightened out.

is it illegal to not have a ssn?

f u guy i got no ssn, bad idea?

Yes, it is a federal regulation that they have to issue the W2G and that they have to withhold the 28% if you do not provide TIN. Once they have done that, they have no reason (related to federal tax regulations) to keep the rest of your winnings.

Every casino is supposed to comply.

Also, for non-Californian residents playing in California tournaments:

That would make you an illegal immigrant.

Thanks for the response man. Do you personally know anybody who did not give the casino their SSN? I wonder if they would still give me a hard time..

or a tourist.

or a freedom activist that never had a SSN.. not like they are assigned a birth right?>

I'd feel a little more comfortable giving my SSN to a casino employee like a cage cashier or a supervisor since they have to go through extensive background checks to get employed at the casino. To get their license, they have to give all their financial information, extensive criminal background checks, etc.. I have never seen a problem with identify theft by an employee at any casino I have ever associated with. I don't think it would be worth losing their jobs. It's just like giving your SSN to a bank employee. People do that all the time.

Seems like a quick phone call to your nearest/relevant poker room would clear this up in 5 minutes, whereas it seems kinda unlikely that anyone on the forums could give you a definitive answer (unless a poker room floorperson/manager is lurking somewhere).

Hmm really SS number are so easy to get from a few places. With someones name and age and city ect I can have all the info I need on a person in 5 min. Now it helps that I am a PI but many people can get that info who are not in the biz.

Over all that would be low on the things a feared.

You would give up 28% of your win (now way in hell you'll ever get it back) just because of something that MIGHT happen to you? I thought I was paranoid.

If they issue a W2G, I owe more than this. Why would I ever consent to giving my SSN? Interest rates are still like 0.1%. The fact that minimal tax is withheld is fine with me.

If the casino really wants to get your social, they will get it. I can think of a lot of ways. Lets see, they can always have you arrested (sure you'll be released), but at some point that social is gonna come out. Or, maybe your $20 tourney buy-in might be laundered money. Well it could be, right? Title 31. You get the idea.

I doubt players ever ask for this. It is obviously -EV to get withheld. My advice, and it has worked well for me, is that when you have an uncommon request to ask ahead of time, and make sure to tell management that you don't need an answer right now. Ask before the tourney.

A few years ago, parents were required to get socials for their children, I think when they turned two. For all practical purposes, everyone will have a
social soon, when the old hippies finally die off.

Well, you might not get as much as you would like, but as things go, you are most assured of getting 100% full credit for that money. The casino does not keep that money, they pass it along to the taxman. The same exact way withholding works on paychecks.

Who gets credit for it? Anonymous Mr Nobody without a tax id? Without a tax id, you don't exist in the eyes of the IRS. They have nobody to which they can credit the money. It's gone, into the general fund.

Wrong.

Sure, if you insisted on remaining completely anonymous, you would be making things difficult for yourself. But you are getting confused by either/or logic. Either dude has a social, or he is anonymous, right?

So riddle me this ... International tourists don't have socials right? ... Depending on what country they are from, international tourists always get withheld (believe me it's true), so ... does all that money go to the general fund?

If anyone cares, and it's not so obvious, I'll answer the riddle

Why is it that everytime someone posts a tax or legal question on this forum all the misinformed high school dropouts feel compelled to respond with their nonsensicle interpretations of the law?

you new to the internet?