Two forms of ID to claim jackpots?

Hi everyone.

I was just reading through a monthly newsletter mailed to me by the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In it was this:

Alot of questions here:
Has any one else heard of this?
Federally mandated ID requirements?
Do you think it applies to Las Vegas as well?
Do you normally carry the 2 ids required into a casino?

Sounds to me like another way for the casino to deny paying out a jackpot.

 

Just from quick searching, this appears to be geared more toward tribal casinos and cracking down on people providing false info to claim jackpots so they don't pay taxes.

Remember, you can always ask the casino to take the taxes out for you so that you can file with the IRS when you do your taxes the next year to "try" and get those back thru showing losses up to the amount of the jackpot instead of adding that W2G into your tax forms.

 

Hmmm, about 8 years ago, I won $3300 at VP at Palms and pretty sure I had to show them drivers license and social security card. They did not take any taxes out of the payout.

 

What's the time interval between winning and presenting your ID's? Can you go home, to your room or car to get the second ID? Very large jackpots can be set up like an annuity and that requires paperwork and time. Even the first payment may take up to 30 days. They must give you a reasonable amount of time to provide your portion of the documentation as well.

 

Looks like they are trying to adhere to the letter of the law, although I didn't find anything in the Treasury regulation that says the IDs have to be government-issued - the ones it lists are government issued and the casino appears to be sticking with that in the absence of other examples.

I've only had one W2-G, but all I gave them was my driver's license (and my ssn, but not the card, not many people carry that around, I don't even know if I have one or where it is.)


June 2012 Edition of Indian Tribal Governments News:
Required Forms of Identification for Casino Winners

Casinos are required to gather identification from patrons whenever jackpots or winnings reach certain thresholds. When a casino issues a Form 1099-MISC and Form W-2G, it must gather personal identification to verify the individual for whom the information return is filed. Treasury Regulation 301.6109-1(b) provides that a driver’s license (or other picture ID) and a completed Form W-9 satisfies verification requirements when completing a Form 1099-MISC. On the other hand, whenever a Form W-2G is necessary, Treasury Regulation 7.6041-1(c) requires the casino to get two forms of identification. The regulations give three examples of acceptable ID (driver’s license, social security card, and voter registration card) to verify the winner’s name, address and social security number. Even though the regulations list three types of identification, many other forms of government-issued IDs are acceptable, such as Indian Tribal Enrollment Cards, military and federal IDs, state-issued IDs, passports, and resident alien cards. Many casinos have implemented internal policies accepting a completed Form W-9 instead of a social security card. Over time it seems as though this has become a widespread practice among numerous casinos, becoming an industry practice.

A Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, does not meet the requirements for gathering identification. It is a self-serving federal government form which duplicates the information contained on the Form W-2G. Therefore, whenever the Treasury Regulations call for two forms of identification (for W-2G purposes), a Form W-9 is not considered to be identification nor is it mentioned as one of the acceptable forms of ID. The only items mentioned in the Treasury Regulations as being acceptable IDs are government-issued IDs. Casinos can have internal policies which mandate completing the Form W-9 for jackpot winners, but the form cannot substitute as one of the required two forms of ID as stated in the regulations.

Federal Government and Military IDs

Federal Government and Military IDs are considered to be valid forms of ID, but it is against the law to make copies. If your internal policies dictate that copies are to be made of any and all IDs presented, keep in mind that Title 18, U.S. Code Part 1, Chapter 33, Section 701 prohibits the duplication of these IDs and is punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. Thus, you may accept this type of ID but you may not photocopy it.



Treasury Regulation § 7.6041-1:
...
Each Form W-2G shall contain the following:
(1) Name, address, and employer identification number of the person making the payment;
(2) Name, address, and social security number of the winner;
(3) General description of two types of identification (e.g., “driver's license”, “social security card”, or “voter registration card”) furnished to the maker of the payment for verification of the winner's name, address, and social security number;
...

 

About 10 years ago I did hit a $1,199+ jackpot at Potawatami and they would not pay me until I brought a SS card and my driver's license.

I went home and brought it the next day. First and only time I have ever carried my SS card. I don't think I've been back there in 9+ years. Screw them!

 

Foxwoods in CT I have only showed my license. Only handpay in Vegas was at Slotsafun and they wanted my ss card. Took me by surprise, I thought they were just being jerks. Maybe they are supposed to ask for more than one after all.

 

Yeah I received that same issue of ANTE from Pot as well and it never bothers me since I live close I've always had my SS card to claim a hand pay. The unfortunate thing is, is that it was 10 years to the MONTH between hand pays (March 2001 to March 2011 (no W2-G's in between that time)).

But I've still never lit a candlestick on a machine in Las Vegas so I'm not sure what is required. I carry a copy of my SS card with the last 4 numbers cut out. I wonder if that's sufficient enough with a DL.

I give you credit Joe for staying away for so long!

 

I won a jackpot and got a W2G at Ballys off a slot machine a few years back and all they asked to SEE was my drivers license, but did ask for SS#.

 

That's what Vegas is for!

 

Ya know, I was going to post this and ask about it on the boards.... I work at Pato & they have been posting the message about 2 forms of ID for weeks now... saying is in compliance with a federal law, but Ive seen on here, not in person, people saying all you need is your ID in Vegas and you can just tell them you SSN.... Not like I plan on winning a taxable, but its good to know just in case..

 

My wife hit a $2,000+ hand pay in Oct at the Cal and nothing changed. She showed DL and verbally gave her SS #.

 

DL was all I needed in Detroit.