there’s nothing illegal with actually playing online for real money from what i’ve heard…the only legal issue is them having trouble finding a way to tax you on it, which is why they don’t want you doing it. if you claim it and what not, there’s nothing illegal about it.
a friend that’s into accounting told me also that you can only be taxed on pure profit from gambling…so if you can provide receipts of losses totaling at much as you won, you dont have to pay taxed.
example:
you win $10,000 in a tournament.
you provide $7000 in receipts and say i lost all this much before hand.
you only pay tax on $3000 of the tournament winnings.
i know a guy that will collect losing scratch off’s, every time he buys in online he prints up a receipt, every time you buy in for chips at the poker room in the casino you can ask for a receipt…
…and here’s the good one…go to OTB, and empty the garbage can of losing tickets…you’ll find thousands…may seem gross to go through that effort, but considering he doesn’t have to pay a dime of taxes on his winnings, it’s worth it…