A W-2G is an IRS form reporting certain gambling winnings. A casino, lottery, racetrack, or other payer issues it when a payout crosses a game-specific threshold. Box 1 shows your gross reportable winnings and Box 4 shows any federal tax withheld. You use it to report gambling income on your tax return.

do I have to claim a W-2G on my taxes?

Yes. All gambling winnings are taxable income regardless of whether you receive a W-2G. The form is only issued when winnings cross reporting thresholds, but the IRS expects you to report every dollar won — including smaller payouts that never generate a W-2G — on your federal tax return. The payer also files a copy with the IRS.

what is the difference between a W-2 and a W-2G?

A W-2 reports wages, salary, and tips paid by an employer. A W-2G reports gambling winnings paid by a casino, lottery, or other gambling operator. Despite the similar name they are unrelated forms: a W-2 covers employment income, while a W-2G covers prize and gambling income reported on Schedule 1.

is tax withheld on my W-2G winnings?

Sometimes. Box 4 shows federal income tax withheld, generally 24% on payouts over $5,000 (after the wager) or as backup withholding when you don't provide a valid taxpayer ID. That withholding is a prepayment credited against the tax you owe at filing. Bingo, keno, and slot winnings have no regular withholding but are still taxable.

how long should I keep my W-2G?

Keep your W-2G at least 3 years, matching the standard IRS audit window, and ideally 7 years. If you deduct gambling losses against the winnings, hold supporting records longer, since the IRS can require proof of losses. Storing it with that year's full tax return keeps everything together.

Tax

Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings)

Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings, is an IRS information return a casino, lottery, racetrack, or other payer issues when gambling winnings cross a game-specific threshold. Box 1 reports gross reportable winnings and Box 4 shows any federal income tax withheld. It is not a W-2 for wages.

Slot machine and bingo winnings of $1,200 or more must be reported on Form W-2G; keno is $1,500 (net of wager) and poker tournaments are more than $5,000 (net of buy-in).

Source: IRS — Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754

Written & maintained by the Granite team · Last updated June 2026

Overview

Form W-2G reports gambling winnings to you and to the IRS when a payout meets a reporting threshold that varies by game: generally $1,200 or more from slots or bingo, $1,500 or more from keno (after the wager is subtracted), more than $5,000 from a poker tournament (after the buy-in), and $600 or more from lotteries, sweepstakes, and pari-mutuel pools when the payout is at least 300 times the wager. It captures the payer, the winner, the amount won, and any tax already withheld.

The payer issues it — a casino, state lottery, racetrack, or other gambling operator — and sends copies to you and the IRS, typically by January 31. You, the winner, receive it and use the figures to report gambling income on your federal tax return; the withholding in Box 4 counts as a prepayment against the tax you owe.

When you’ll get your Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings)

You hit a slot or bingo jackpot of $1,200 or more
You won $1,500 or more from keno after subtracting your wager
You cashed a poker tournament for more than $5,000 after the buy-in
You won a lottery, sweepstakes, or raffle prize of $600 or more that paid at least 300x your stake
The payer withheld federal income tax (typically 24%) from a large payout
You won a noncash prize, such as a car or trip, whose fair market value crossed the threshold

What’s on your Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings)

These are the fields Granite reads and extracts automatically the moment you upload one.

Payer name: The casino, lottery, racetrack, or other gambling operator that paid the winnings and issued the form.
Payer's TIN: The payer's federal taxpayer identification number, used by the IRS to match the form to the operator.
Winner's name: Your name exactly as printed on the form, identifying who received the winnings.
Winner's SSN: Your Social Security number, often partially masked on the recipient copy for privacy.
Reportable winnings (Box 1): Gross amount won that the payer is reporting — the figure that flows into your taxable gambling income.
Date won (Box 2): The date the winning wager was paid, which ties the income to a specific tax year.
Type of wager (Box 3): The kind of bet, such as slot machine, poker, keno, or lottery, which determines the reporting threshold that applied.
Federal income tax withheld (Box 4): Tax the payer already withheld and sent to the IRS, credited against what you owe at filing.

How long to keep it

At least 7 years

Keep it at least 3 years (the standard IRS audit window) and ideally 7, because gambling losses you deduct to offset these winnings can trigger scrutiny and require proof. Hold it longer if you carry the year's return for a loss claim or amended filing.

How Granite handles your Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings)

Drop your W-2G into Granite and it reads the form, pulls the payer name, Box 1 reportable winnings, date won, type of wager, and Box 4 federal tax withheld, then titles it like "Bellagio 2024 W-2G" and files it into your Tax 2024 collection automatically. It also links the payer as an entity, so every form from that casino sits together. Search "gambling winnings" or the payer's name months later and it surfaces instantly — no digging through email or a shoebox at tax time.

FAQ

Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings): common questions

what is a w-2g: A W-2G is an IRS form reporting certain gambling winnings. A casino, lottery, racetrack, or other payer issues it when a payout crosses a game-specific threshold. Box 1 shows your gross reportable winnings and Box 4 shows any federal tax withheld. You use it to report gambling income on your tax return.
do I have to claim a W-2G on my taxes?: Yes. All gambling winnings are taxable income regardless of whether you receive a W-2G. The form is only issued when winnings cross reporting thresholds, but the IRS expects you to report every dollar won — including smaller payouts that never generate a W-2G — on your federal tax return. The payer also files a copy with the IRS.
what is the difference between a W-2 and a W-2G?: A W-2 reports wages, salary, and tips paid by an employer. A W-2G reports gambling winnings paid by a casino, lottery, or other gambling operator. Despite the similar name they are unrelated forms: a W-2 covers employment income, while a W-2G covers prize and gambling income reported on Schedule 1.
what triggers a W-2G?: Thresholds vary by game: $1,200 or more from slots or bingo, $1,500 or more from keno (after the wager), more than $5,000 from a poker tournament (after the buy-in), and $600 or more from lotteries, sweepstakes, or pari-mutuel pools when the payout is at least 300 times the wager. Crossing any of these triggers a W-2G.
is tax withheld on my W-2G winnings?: Sometimes. Box 4 shows federal income tax withheld, generally 24% on payouts over $5,000 (after the wager) or as backup withholding when you don't provide a valid taxpayer ID. That withholding is a prepayment credited against the tax you owe at filing. Bingo, keno, and slot winnings have no regular withholding but are still taxable.
how long should I keep my W-2G?: Keep your W-2G at least 3 years, matching the standard IRS audit window, and ideally 7 years. If you deduct gambling losses against the winnings, hold supporting records longer, since the IRS can require proof of losses. Storing it with that year's full tax return keeps everything together.

Sources

This page is checked against primary and authoritative sources:

Keep your Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings) in one place.

Drop it in once. Granite reads it, files it, and makes it findable forever — by you today, and by the people who'll need it later.

Get Granite Try the live demo See pricing