Big Beautiful Bill - The Rail Trending

Want to get a simple take on the Fair bet Act?

Railbird Creations has got you covered in their recent substack.

There’s still time to try and make the Fair Bet Act a reality.

Although I still can’t get over the fact that someone’s surname is actually Crapo and that it isn’t a joke.

“People will lie on taxes”. Erik Seidel, one of poker’s most respected veterans, is weighing semi-retirement after lawmakers limited the ability of professional gamblers to deduct losses in the US.

PokerNews reports that under the new rule, players can only deduct 90 percent of their losses, leaving them on the hook for tax on phantom profits.

Seidel told PokerNews, “People will lie on taxes” if the law sticks, adding, “And that’s not a positive thing. You don’t want to encourage that kind of behavior.”

He remains optimistic it could be changed, saying, “I do think there’s a very good chance, because it makes no sense, that it will be changed next year. But I mean, who knows?”

For now, the ten-time bracelet winner is left hoping Congress folds before he does.

Call your representative now

if you want them to support the Fair Bet Act.

The Phantom Tax headed US poker players way.

Leah “Lele” Bella is described by Railbird Creations as the industry’s uncompromising watchdog, not because she wanted the attention, but because she could not ignore what was happening to the game she loves. Her advocacy started with a personal connection—poker was how she bonded with her late father—and turned into a fight for the future of the whole industry.

Senator Mike Crapo’s so-called “phantom tax” slipped quietly into the OBBB bill has drawn Lele’s ire. She’s been writing to senators, mobilizing players, and generally not letting anyone forget what is at stake. Railbird Creations calls her “poker’s most unexpected watchdog,” someone who is “pushing the industry towards its fight for the freedom to play without punitive taxation disguised as policy.”

Lele’s story is less about seeking the spotlight and more about refusing to back down. In an industry where many stay silent, Railbird Creations highlights Lele as the rare advocate who drags uncomfortable truths into the open.

Poker legend Seidel may consider semi retirement next year.

With the US about to impose hefty gambling taxes — which will also affect losing players — Erik Seidel considers other avenues for continuing to play poker next year.

A great précis of the Big Beautiful Bill and what it may mean to you.

Blaise Bourgeois breaks down what this new taxing system can mean, in just a few sentences.

Petition for poker players in USA to chase down invisible taxes.

The Fair Bet Act is the latest rallying cry for petitioners who want to end what they call the “phantom tax.” According to the campaign on Change.org, supporters are urging Congress to take action, arguing that the current system unfairly taxes gambling winnings that haven’t really been realized.

One of the main complaints is summed up by the succinct slogan:

No PHANTOM TAX!

The petition is directed at lawmakers and features a section called “Supporter Voices,” where backers can share why they want the bill to pass. Whether or not the signatures will sway Congress is another matter, but at least the issue is getting some attention.

December 16