Supreme Court of Canada deals blow to poker players who challenged tax ruling

The Supreme Court of Canada is framed between tulips in Ottawa on Monday, May 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada says it will not review a finding that poker earnings are taxable business income.

The case began when three men appealed the federal revenue agency’s declaration that they had to pay tax on poker winnings.

The three acquaintances argued in the Tax Court of Canada that the earnings — which often amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars annually — were not business income but rather non-taxable income from betting.

Following a joint hearing, a judge concluded their net earnings should be counted as taxable business income.

The judge said in each case, poker was much more than a pleasurable pursuit — it was a livelihood to which the players devoted almost all of their time.

The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals, prompting the men to seek a hearing at the Supreme Court.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press