In answer to a question about the necessity of presenting proof of your Social Security number when hitting a jackpot in a casino, we wrote that if a player fails to provide a number, the casino withholds the entire jackpot until an SSN is produced.
In fact, the casino doesn't withhold the entire jackpot. IRS instructions for Form W-2G provide that if the winner fails to produce his or her Social Security number, the casino must withhold 28% of the winnings. There is no justification for the casino to deny payment of the balance of the jackpot to the winner.
