Mostly yes but not always! If youre a professional gambler or if you earn interest on the winnings then you gotta pay. But for us regular folks just having fun on the weekends its tax free. The CRA looks at frequency, skill vs luck, and intent when deciding if you’re professional. So if you won that 12k on slots or blackjack just once or twice then you’re golden.

If you’re grinding poker tables every day trying to make a living then different story… Also if you invest that money and it earns dividends or interest then THAT part gets taxed between 15-33% depending on your income bracket.