It Was a Hobby, He Says With a Poker Face
- Share via
From Times Wire Reports
An Australian world poker champion won’t have to ante up to the tax collector. In July, mortgage broker Joseph Hachem won $7.5 million in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
In Australia, a professional gambler is liable for taxes on offshore winnings, but lawyer Peter Donovan successfully argued that poker was Hachem’s hobby, not his profession, when he won.
The next hand might not go his way, because poker has become a bigger part of his life.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
