Do I Have to Pay Tax on My Casino Winnings?
Whether gambling online or at a casino, players are often uncertain if they should report their winnings or keep every penny. In many countries, the tax authority ensures it gets its piece of the cake, but in some, you can keep everything you won. Iceland belongs to the latter group.
The Land of Ice and Fire hasn’t regulated online or land-based casinos, which is why it doesn’t perceive gambling winning as taxable income. In this article, we’ll discuss the legal gambling landscape in Iceland and explain whether winnings from offshore sites are taxable since this is the only way to gamble for real money in the nation.
Gambling Regulations in Iceland
Iceland has been anti-gambling-oriented for the past 100 years. Before that, locals enjoyed gambling both within the country and across the sea, but the government decided to put an end to that in 1926 and passed the Lottery Act. According to the Act, all forms of gambling, including land-based casinos, were banned because government officials wanted to prevent its residents from falling victim to gambling.
The Act was amended in 1933, allowing the University of Iceland to create its own lottery only if 80% of the profit went to the university purse. As a result, gambling has been allowed in Iceland, but only for charitable purposes. The following decades brought more lotteries, such as the sports lottery in 1972 and the first state lottery in 1986.
Slot machines, sports pools, and scratch cards were legalized in 1994, but again, all profits had to go to charity. Following European lawmakers’ objections in 2004, foreign lotteries were allowed again, but only if the proceeds were used to benefit good causes.
In 2016, the 1940 Criminal Code was amended to include articles 183 and 184 prohibiting residents from involving themselves professionally in gambling and betting. Therefore, anybody who attempts to gamble or encourages others to do so can be charged with a crime and sentenced to one year in prison.
Are There Any Brick-and-Mortar Casinos in Iceland?
Currently, Iceland does not have any land-based casinos. In 2015, there was a spark of hope when Progressive Party member, Willum Pór Pórsson, advocated for the legalization of casinos in the country. According to him, casinos would raise taxes and provide a safe forum for discussing the impacts of gambling on Iceland’s economy and society. However, all attempts failed.
The issue seems to be that the government allowed certain types of gambling to be monopolized by Islandsspil and the University of Iceland to fund their activities. Consequently, the Land of Ice and Fire only allows these forms of gambling — quarterly lotteries, electronic gaming machines, scratch cards, national lotteries, Viking lotteries, and Euro jackpots. You can occasionally find a slot machine in a pub in Reykjavik or larger towns, but these are rare.
Another reason Iceland doesn’t have land-based casinos may be that the country is far away from other countries that have these establishments, as well as that government officials are concerned about the addictive behavior of their residents. Therefore, we don’t expect to see any full-scale casinos in these parts anytime soon.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Iceland?
Currently, no state-licensed online casinos exist in Iceland, and the state has never tried to regulate this industry. The Advertising Act of 2022 is the only regulation that covers online gambling, and it prohibits the promotion of gambling activities and services.
However, this doesn’t mean locals have no interest in online gambling — quite the opposite. Recent reports suggest that approximately 35% of residents gambled online last year. But since there are no legal online casinos in the country, Icelanders have found another way to pursue their passion, which is international online casinos.
Iceland doesn’t have a law that stipulates it is illegal for Icelanders to use offshore gambling platforms. In fact, Icelandic players are welcome on many of these sites, where they can play slots, table games, live dealer games, or whatever else they choose. Plus, no one has ever been prosecuted for betting on foreign sites.
Despite Iceland’s booming iGaming industry, players should take care when choosing an international online casino because Iceland does not issue such licenses and cannot protect them if a problem arises. It is recommended that Icelanders play with licensed operators, preferably those accredited by regulators such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), Curacao, Spelinspektionen, and Danske Spil.
There are several other factors to consider as well, such as the security of the website, the game selection, the welcome bonuses, and customer service.
Are Gambling Winnings Taxable in Iceland?
Generally, players are unsure whether casino winnings are taxable. However, in Iceland, they aren’t. According to Articles 183 and 184 of the Icelandic Criminal Code, it is illegal to engage in professional gambling within country borders. Consequently, gambling is not considered a profession by the Icelandic government and is, therefore, not subject to income tax.
The Land of Ice and Fire does not have legal land-based or online casinos, so all the gambling winnings come from offshore sites, which are not subject to local taxes.
When it comes to lotteries, bingo, and slot machines, which are legal, their winnings are also not taxed because operators must give all the proceeds to charity.
Conclusion
Although Iceland has no land-based or online casinos, most residents join offshore sites. Due to the gray-zone nature of this industry, Icelanders can play their favorite games and capitalize on them. Another perk is that they get to keep all the winnings to themselves since they are not subject to taxes.