Player Withholding Tax (PWT) FAQ
Based on the Greek gaming law, we must withhold PWT from certain profits earned by you.
For poker cash games and casino games, PWT is withheld from any overall profit above €100 from gaming transactions in a player gaming session which cannot exceed 24h, as defined in the Greek Gaming Regulations. Any activity that crosses over when the session ends will be taken into account for the next gaming session. Any profits from a gaming session are the sum of:
- For ring/cash games: winnings received less bets placed in the gaming session (excluding any amounts where you are still at the table at the end of the gaming session).
- For casino games: winnings received less bets placed for games completed in the gaming session.
For poker tournaments, PWT is withheld from any profit above €100 upon exit of each tournament. Profit is calculated on the sum of the main prize pool payout won on tournament exit plus any interim payouts (i.e. bounties, early cashouts) during the tournament, less the buy-in paid. Each tournament re-entry will create a ‘new’ profit calculation. Tax will be taken immediately upon exit of the tournament and not at the end of the gaming session.
The rates of tax for poker and casino games are set by the Greek government and are currently as follows:
- No tax will be withheld for profits up to and including €100
- 15% tax for profits from €100.01 to €500
- 20% tax on profits over €500
Profits from gameplay in other currencies will be converted to Euros using applicable daily exchange rates.
For poker and casino games, any withholding will only be calculated on the profit from the most recently completed gaming session or tournament exit, if over €100. The value of your account balance is not relevant for PWT as PWT applies to the profits you obtain from gambling, rather than the funds in your account.
We have included some examples of calculations below.
Please note: In common with any online operator there is a risk of site outages meaning that gameplay cannot take place. This may result in a situation where at the end of a session your winnings are such that PWT needs to be applied. In such situations we are obliged to deduct the PWT, and we shall not be held responsible for any inconvenience or loss that you may suffer.
Based on our central IT system a gaming session (for the purpose of withholding tax law) is the 24 hour period from 07:00 until 06:59 UTC.
For ring/cash games, where you are still at the table at the end of the gaming session, the entire activity will be taken into account in the following gaming session (i.e. the gaming session when you leave the table).
Whenever we withhold PWT from your account due to eligible winnings we will automatically send you an email detailing the amount of PWT withheld and details of how that was calculated.
Yes. As set out above, tournament profits are now calculated on a per tournament basis rather than at the end of a gaming session. Any winnings credited during the tournament (i.e. bounties, early cashouts) and upon exit of a tournament will be included in the tournament profit calculation and you will be taxed at the point of exiting the tournament.
No, PWT is a tax on profits from game play.
No, only profits from game play are relevant for the calculation of PWT. Note that we cannot exchange StarsCoin directly for cash.
You can change your country of residence provided you legitimately reside in another country and by providing the appropriate supporting documentation. Please visit our Help Centre for more information.
If you change your country of residence because you no longer reside in Greece and thus are eligible to play under a different license then the Greek PWT rules will not apply to play under that other licence.
If you reside in Greece and play with us the PWT rules will apply.
The application of the PWT rules mean that it is not possible to offer satellites for live poker events.
Player Withholding Tax Examples:
The following examples illustrate how Profits are calculated for a Gaming Session for poker and casino games:
Example 1
In a Gaming Session period you play only in cash games which completed in the Gaming Session period and you leave the table with €300 and had staked €220.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the Gaming Session is €80 and therefore below the €100 threshold and no Player Withholding Tax is due.
Example 2
You play in a €20 tournament and win €150 which is credited to your account when you exit the tournament.
Your profit for the tournament is €130 (€150 less €20) and so after deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax for the tournament will be €30*15% = €4.50
Example 3
You play in a €10 tournament and during the game you win a €50 bounty. Upon exiting the tournament you also win a €100 cash payout.
Your profit for the tournament is €140 (€150-€10) as both the bounty and the cash payout upon exit are classed as your winnings from the tournament. After deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax for the tournament will be €40*15% = €6.
Example 4
In a Gaming Session period you play in cash games which completed in the Gaming Session period where you leave the table with €300 and had staked €80. You are still at tables in cash games when the Gaming Session ends, where you have so far staked €40 and won €10.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the Gaming Session is: €220 (i.e. €300, less €80). After deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax due will be €120*15% = €18. The €40 stakes and €10 win will be accounted for in the Gaming Session when the cash game ends.
Example 5
In a Gaming Session period you play in the same cash games at set out in example 4, but you also register for a tournament for €20 and that tournament starts in a later Gaming Session.
As tournaments are now calculated separately to cash games, your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the Gaming Session is still: €220 (i.e. €300, less €80).
After deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax due will be €120*15% = €18
The buy-in and winnings from the later tournament that has been entered will be included in the calculation of Profits earned for that specific tournament when you exit the tournament.
Example 6
As per example 4, but you also register (for €20) and play in a satellite tournament in the Gaming Session and win a seat to a target tournament (that will take place in a subsequent Gaming Session) that otherwise has a cash buy in of €100.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the Gaming Session is still: €220 (i.e. €300, less €80).
In respect of the satellite tournament the seat won in the target tournament is not included in the calculation of Profit for Player Withholding Tax purposes for that tournament as you have not yet won cash. Therefore, there will be no tax due on that tournament.
Any winnings from the target tournament will be included in the calculation of Profits earned for that subsequent tournament when you exit.
Example 7
As per example 6, but you also register (for €15) and play in a second satellite tournament in the Gaming Session and win a second seat to the same target tournament (that will take place in a subsequent Gaming Session and that otherwise has a cash buy in of €100). You then receive Tournament Dollars of €100 instead of the second seat in the same target tournament.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the Gaming session is still: €220 (i.e. €300, less €80). The first seat won in the target tournament is not included in the calculation of Profit for Player Withholding Tax purposes for that specific tournament as you have not yet won cash. The conversion into Tournament Dollars will also not be included in the calculation of Profit as it is not cash winnings.
After deducting the €100 threshold no Player Withholding Tax will be due for either satellite tournaments as both tournaments are under the €100 threshold (€20 and €15).
Any winnings from the target tournament will be included in the calculation of Profits earned for that tournament when you exit the tournament. Any future buy-in using the Tournament Dollars will not be included in the Profit calculation as it is not cash.
Example 8
As per example 6, and then you play in the target tournament and win €700.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for that target tournament is: €700. After deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax due will be €400*15% + €200*20% = €100
Example 9
In a Gaming Session period you play at a Roulette table which completed in the Gaming Session period where you won €300 and had wagered €220.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the gaming session is €80 and therefore below the €100 threshold and no Player Withholding Tax is due.
Example 10
In a Gaming Session period you play at a Blackjack table which completed in the Gaming Session period where you won €340 and had wagered €200.
After deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax due will be €40*15% = €6.
Example 11
In a Gaming Session period you play at a Blackjack table which completed in the Gaming Session period where you won €340 and had wagered €200.
You then play at ring games which completed in the same Gaming Session period where you leave the table with €100 and had staked €220.
You then play in a €10 tournament in which you are credited €50 bounty to your account during the tournament. You subsequently exit the tournament with €100 winnings.
Your Profit for Player Withholding Tax for the gaming session is €140-€120 = €20 and therefore below the €100 threshold and no Player Withholding Tax is due.
Your Profit for the Player Withholding Tax for the tournament is €140 (€150-€10) and therefore after the deduction of the €100 threshold, Player Withholding tax of €6 is due (€40*15%).
Example 12
You play a €20 tournament and subsequently exit the tournament early on in the game. At this point no tax is due as you have no winnings. You decide to re-enter the tournament for another €20, and at this point this is now a new tournament for player withholding tax purposes. You win €200 which is credited to your account on exiting the tournament.
Your Profit for the Player Withholding Tax for the tournament re-entry is €180 (€200-€20) and so after deducting the €100 threshold your Player Withholding Tax due will be €80*15% = €12.