CasinoIQHow to Keep a Gambling Log the IRS Will Accept
The IRS doesn't publish an official gambling log form — it just says you need an "accurate diary or similar record" of your winnings and losses. That vagueness makes players nervous, but the standard is actually simple: record the right fields, per session, at the time you play. Here's exactly what that looks like.
The fields your gambling diary must have
Straight from IRS guidance (Topic 419 and Publication 529), every entry should record:
- Date of the gambling activity
- Type of wager/game — blackjack, poker, slots, craps, sports, lottery…
- Name and address/location of the casino or establishment
- Amounts won and lost for the session
Strongly recommended extras that make a log more credible:
- Session start/end time and duration
- Buy-in and cash-out amounts (not just the net)
- Machine number or table, and names of people with you
- Supporting docs: W-2Gs, tickets, ATM receipts, win/loss statements
Free template (if you insist on doing it by hand)
| Date | Game | Casino / Location | Buy-in | Cash-out | Win/Loss | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/1/26 | Craps | Gila River – Lone Butte, AZ | $300 | $185 | −$115 | 21 min | $10 table |
| 3/3/26 | Blackjack | Gila River – Wild Horse, AZ | $500 | $340 | −$160 | 39 min | $25 min, H17 |
| 3/8/26 | Baccarat | Quechan Casino Resort, CA | $400 | $550 | +$150 | 1 hr | — |
Copy those columns into a notebook or spreadsheet and you have a compliant diary — if you fill it in every single time you play, and can show it wasn't invented after the fact.
The three ways handwritten logs fail
- You stop keeping it. Nobody opens a spreadsheet at 1am walking out of a casino. Gaps kill credibility.
- It's not contemporaneous. A log recreated at tax time looks exactly like what it is. Timestamps matter.
- It has no math trail. Nets without buy-ins/cash-outs invite questions you don't want.
The automatic version: CasinoIQ
CasinoIQ is a gambling log that fills itself out:
- Tap + when you sit down or cash out. Enter buy-in and cash-out, pick the game and casino. Date, time, and location are stamped automatically — a true contemporaneous record.
- Use Live Sessions for exact duration. Start the timer as you play and CasinoIQ tracks session length via iOS Live Activities.
- Attach notes — table minimums, machine numbers, rule sets — right on the session.
- Print the whole diary at tax time. The Tax Report screen generates a clean, session-by-session year-end report, and you can export everything to CSV or JSON for your accountant.
A gambling diary that keeps itself
Free on the App Store · 4.8★ · Every IRS field, captured automatically
This article is educational and not tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional about your situation.