Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus is championing a new bill aimed at reversing a tax change from the Republican tax-and-spending legislation, and it is garnering attention from both sides of the aisle.
Known as the “FAIR Bet Act,” the one-page bill seeks to restore tax deductions for gambling losses to their previous level of 100%, following a recent shift to 90% in the larger bill.
This adjustment has significant implications for gamblers. For example, a gambler who earns $100,000 in winnings but also incurs $100,000 in losses would only be able to write off $90,000, still responsible for taxes on the un-deducted $10,000, which is funds they never actually received.
Rep. Dina Titus described the policy change as misguided, emphasizing that tax regulations should be equitable and that the gaming industry ought to be regarded similarly to other businesses.
“It’s bad policy because tax policy should be fair and gaming should be treated like any other business,” she stated.
According to Titus, this tax modification could incentivize gamblers to turn to offshore casinos to avoid taxation entirely or even misreport their winnings and losses on their taxes.
She further clarified that the bill’s implications extend beyond just seasoned gamblers or professional players, highlighting that it will impact anyone who itemizes deductions for gambling losses, including casual participants in activities such as slot machines and fantasy sports.
Titus argued, “They pretended or suggested that this would only impact professional poker players, but that’s not true. It’s anybody who gambles.”
With nearly every U.S. state having some form of legalized gambling, the constituency advocating for this tax reform is substantial.
Titus noted that her recent post on social media regarding the tax change has received significant engagement, more than any other she has ever made.
This growing support is reflected in the involvement of her fellow representatives. Nevada’s Reps. Steven Horsford and Mark Amodei have already expressed their intent to co-sponsor the FAIR Bet Act.
Moreover, bipartisan support for the bill extends to California Democrat Ro Khanna and Texas Republican Troy Nehls. Titus is also working to secure the support of other key congressional members, including Rep. Guy Reschenthaler from Pennsylvania, who co-chairs the Congressional Gaming Caucus.
The initiative has gained the backing of the American Gaming Association, which publicly commended Titus’s efforts, stating, “The American Gaming Association applauds Congresswoman Titus for introducing the FAIR BET Act. We are committed to working with Congresswoman Titus, other congressional leaders, and the Trump Administration to restore the long-standing tax treatment of gaming losses.”
President Donald Trump, with his background in the casino industry, is positioned uniquely to understand the implications of this tax issue.
Having formerly owned casinos in Atlantic City and currently owning a non-gaming hotel in Las Vegas, Trump has links within the gaming community, including friendships with operators like Phil Ruffin.
Titus emphasized that her bill does not necessarily need to pass as standalone legislation due to the potential implications it brings to the previous larger bill—often referred to as the Big Beautiful Bill.
Instead, she suggested that the FAIR Bet Act might be incorporated as an amendment to a crucial piece of legislation that will need to be enacted later this year, thus rectifying the tax change well before gamblers prepare their tax returns in 2025.
“So just because it doesn’t come to the [House] floor immediately doesn’t mean there aren’t options at the end of this Congress,” Titus added, hinting at the bill’s potential pathways to success.
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