When Are 1099s Issued for Car Giveaways?

My friend won a Bally's car giveaway last month and took cash, but didn't get a 1099 form. She was told it was a non-gaming win. Will she get a different type of income-reporting form?

Bally’s Atlantic City replied tersely, "Winners' 1099s are mailed out via third party at the end of the year.” So we assume that your friend will receive her 1099 next January. Cash or car, that's a big win and the casino must fill out tax paperwork on it.

For elaboration on general casino policy in such matters, we turned to the ever-helpful folks at Boyd Gaming. They replied, “We don't do too many giveaways of large non-cash prizes. However, speaking generally, we would complete a form 1099 when a guest wins a promotional prize valued at $600 or more. This applies regardless of whether a customer takes the prize or the cash equivalent. (I believe other operators do the same, but I can only speak with certainty for us.)

“We do give gifts to premium members of our player-loyalty program,” the Boyd spokesman added. “However, as those are considered gifts rather than prizes, a 1099 isn't necessary.”

For anyone interested in this subject further, Jean Scott covered it extensively in her book Tax Help for Gamblers.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

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Kevin Rough Jul-27-2025

They will send one for all

They will send one 1099 at the end of the year for all prizes won during the year.  If your total for the year meets the reporting requirement, you will get one form showing all wins even if some of those wins are below the filing requirement on their own.

Jeffrey Small Jul-27-2025

And State Taxes too...

If you win a prize in a state that has a state income tax you may get dinged for that as well.  I recently won a lottery prize in Michigan and they deducted Federal AND State taxes from the check!

Vickar Jul-27-2025

city taxes as well

There are cities that levy income tax as well. i.e. New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, et al.

Gregory Jul-28-2025

Unexpected 1099

A few years back I got an unexpected 1099 in January.  I won several drawings at the El Cortez in the course of a year.  None of the separate prizes where huge, but in total it was north of $1000.  The 1099 caught be by surprise. It also seems more difficult to write off a 1099 as it's "miscellaneous income" as opposed to gambling income (W2-G).

Question of the Day - 27 July 2025

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