Las Vegas Tailored for International Gambling Enthusiasts
Give your customers what they want and they’ll keep coming back. That’s what Las Vegas is aiming to do in an effort to attract an international clientele that likes to gamble.
This past summer, Bingo Lotería made headlines when it debuted at the Lucky Club in North Las Vegas. With four sessions played each week, the English- and Spanish-language game comes with a twist; one winner each session plays a bonus round based on the card-based Mexican game of Lotería.
In late January and early February, Las Vegas casinos are splashed in red and gold to compete for the attention of those celebrating Chinese New Year. Why? To give their customers what they want.
In 2013, the number of Chinese tourists to the U.S. as a whole rose 23% to 1.81 million, or 2.6% of visitor volume. More specifically, the percentage of tourists to Las Vegas identifying themselves as Asian or Asian American has risen to 12% in 2013 from only two percent in 2009.
The idea of cross-market gaming is not entirely new, but it is getting more popular. Most major casinos in Las Vegas and other parts of the United States have dealers who can speak Asian languages and dialects, and many Las Vegas casinos have dedicated Asian gaming pits that feature games popular with Asian players, such as Baccarat, Sic Bo, Mahjong, and Pai Gow.
Chinese Gamblers Subject to 30% Withholding Tax
According to U.S. law, substantial gambling winnings (typically over $1,200) from slots, gambling, poker, the lottery, or pari-mutuel betting are subject to a 30% withholding tax. Note that gambling winnings from blackjack, baccarat, craps, and roulette are not taxed.
Some countries are exempt from the 30% withholding tax. If, for example, you live in France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, or the United Kingdom, your gambling winnings are not withheld by the IRS. However, they could be withheld when you get home.
If you live in China or virtually any other country in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, etc), your gaming winnings are taxed 30%. That means that if you win $5,000 on the slots, the IRS gets to keep $1,500 and you are left with just $3,500.
But there is a way for gaming enthusiasts from China and other parts of Asia to recoup some or all of their taxable winnings. If you decide to try and get it back yourself, you have to deal with the IRS and the confusing U.S. tax system.
RMS: The Quick, Reliable Way to Get Your Gaming Tax Refund
If you have won a substantial amount while gambling in Las Vegas or anywhere else in the United States and had 30% of your winnings withheld, Refund Management Services (RMS) can help.
RMS has completed the most U.S. gambling tax refunds for Canadians and other non-U.S. residents since 1998. In fact, Refund Management Services has NEVER BEEN REFUSED AN ELIGIBLE REFUND.
The casino tax recovery professionals at Refund Management Services have CA designations and are certified Certified acceptance agents for filing gaming tax refund applications. With our expertise in gaming-related tax laws, RMS understands all the IRS requirements to ensure that any entitled refund is successfully recovered.
As the most reputable casino and gaming tax recovery service in the industry, RMS will help you recover all or a portion of your gaming related taxes up to three years after your win.
A five-minute phone call is all it takes for the experienced gaming recovery experts at Refund Management Services to show you how you can get a portion or all of your gaming tax refund back. Most casino tax refunds take just 12 to 15 weeks to complete; in some cases, RMS can get your withheld winnings returned in as little as 6 to 9 weeks. And Refund Management Services only gets paid for successful gambling tax refunds, so there is no risk.
To talk to a gambling tax refund expert at RMS, call toll-free from the United States or Canada at 1-888-272-5559 or call our Hong Kong offices at 852-6690-1071. You can also e-mail us at [email protected].
Refund Management Services is a member of the Better Business Bureau and the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Source:
“Vegas casinos likely to speak more ‘Asian’: scholar,” GGRAsia web site, July 17, 2014; www.ggrasia.com/vegas-casinos-likely-to-speak-more-asian-scholar/.