--- title: "United States Tax Court Decision for the Week and Gambling Winnings" type: "post" published_at: "2017-09-14T23:59:31+00:00" modified_at: "2017-09-14T23:59:31+00:00" url: "https://bestirscpa.com/1165-2/" excerpt: "A recent Tax Court decision was reported that may be of interest to individuals potentially dealing with tax litigation and gambling winnings and standard deduction v. itemized deductions. J. Frank Best, Certified Public Accountant and United States Tax Court Litigator..." markdown_url: "https://bestirscpa.com/1165-2.md" --- - Post published:September 14, 2017 A recent Tax Court decision was reported that may be of interest to individuals potentially dealing with tax litigation and gambling winnings and standard deduction v. itemized deductions. J. Frank Best, Certified Public Accountant and United States Tax Court Litigator works to stay current on all IRS decisions concerning tax litigation to ensure we are fully informed and prepared for our clients. **Taxpayers Who Elected Standard Deduction Can’t Deduct Gambling Losses** The Tax Court held that a couple was taxable on gambling winnings shown on their Form W-2G and, because the couple could not substantiate how much was spent in producing the winnings, no reduction was allowed. The court also found that the couple’s election to take the standard deduction precluded them from taking an itemized deduction for their gambling losses. Viso v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2017-154. During 2013, William Viso engaged in a variety of recreational gambling activities: he bet on college and professional sports, played slot machines, and bought lottery tickets. That year, he won $5,060 on slot machines at three different casinos. The gambling winnings were reported on Forms W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings. That same year, Viso and his wife sustained approximately $7,000 in gambling losses. On their joint Form 1040, the Visos did not report any gambling winnings or losses for the 2013 tax year. They claimed a standard deduction of $12,200. The IRS assessed a tax deficiency after including the $5,060 of gambling winnings in the couple’s 2013 income. The Visos did not challenge the accuracy of the gross gambling winnings included in their income; instead they argued that those amounts should be reduced by the amounts of bets they placed to produce their winnings. Although the couple introduced evidence of losses at another casino (in addition to lottery tickets and sporting bets), they produced no evidence as to how much William bet to produce the winnings reflected on the Forms W-2G. For tax purposes, gambling losses are treated in one of two ways. Taxpayers engaged in the trade or business of gambling may deduct their gambling losses against their gambling winnings “above the line” as a trade or business expense in arriving at adjusted gross income. In the case of taxpayers not engaged in the trade or business of gambling, gambling losses are allowable as an itemized deduction, but only to the extent of gambling winnings. The Tax Court held that the couple’s election to take the standard deduction precluded them from taking an itemized deduction for their gambling losses. In addition, because they could not substantiate how much was spent in producing the winnings reflected on Forms W-2G, no reduction was allowed. In reaching its conclusion, the court cited Torpie v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2000-168 which held that, in order to claim any Schedule A itemized deductions, a taxpayer must forgo the standard deduction. The Tax Court noted that the couple’s standard deduction of $12,200 exceeded their potential itemized deduction for gambling losses of $5,060. Thus, the court said, the couple’s election to take the standard deduction resulted in a larger deduction than if they had taken an itemized deduction for their gambling losses. Since the couple elected to take the standard deduction, the court held they could not take an itemized deduction for their gambling losses to offset their gambling winnings. 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