Lotto, scratch games, sports betting… Your gambling winnings could soon be taxed

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Casino, sports betting, Loto or EuroMillions draws, online poker… If you have already won the jackpot in gambling, you know that this happy coincidence does not come alone. Once you have pocketed your bet… you keep it. Yes, today, they are not taxed (with the exception of poker and bridge professionals).

But that may soon be over. This December 23, 2024, the Council for Compulsory Deductions (CPO), body of the Court of Auditors, bangs its fist on the table… and recommends taxation of gains above 500 euros.

Not taxing winnings is not “consistent”

During the parliamentary debate on the finance bill and the Social Security financing bill for 2025, numerous amendments were tabled to increase taxes on gambling operators.

But, for the CPO, these lacked consistency. How can we propose to tax operators more while the winners escape the tax? This reflection led the CPO to publish a note… which sounds the legislator to change gear.

It appears inconsistent that gaming winnings constitute one of the only sources of exempt income, while the State also regulates these same games.

Gains taxed from 500 euros?

After the observation, the solutions. In its press release, the institution defines six recommendations. One of them directly concerns the players. The CPO wants to “establish a threshold under which the gains would not be taxed, of the order of €500 over the year”.

To put it simply, winnings above 500 euros would therefore be systematically taxed. The specialized site Tirage Gagnant discusses “an earthquake” potential for players accustomed to receiving 100% tax-free winnings.

“In the majority of cases, the income declaration could be made by the gaming operator with withholding tax and regularization at the end of the year,” it is specified in the CPO note.

An imposition yes, but which one? Tirage Gagnant evokes “a withholding tax of the order of 10 to 12%» on the gain, specifying that the precise rate remained to be determined. The amounts of money won would be subject to income tax.

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