Skip to main content
  1. Magic: the Gathering
  2. Organized Play and Prize Support
  3. Prize Support

Event Prize Support

Wizards of the Coast pays all prizes through a third-party eWallet system called i-payout. Prize payments are paid on the first Thursday immediately following the conclusion of the event. If this is your first time receiving a prize this way, you will receive two emails from MPL@globalewallet.com on the Thursday after the event. The first email will be a notification that we have set up an account on your behalf. This email will contain an account activation link and a temporary password. You will receive a second email notification when the prize payment has been deposited into your account.

 

When you login to i-payout for the first time you will be prompted to fully set up and activate your account. Part of this process includes uploading the required paperwork in order to verify your address in order to access and withdraw your prize payment.

 

If you have not been paid a prize this way before, we may need more information in order to complete the prize payment. Please look out for emails from premierplay@wizards.com during the working week immediately after the event in case we contact you for additional information.

 

If you have been paid a prize by Wizards of the Coast via i-payout before you will receive an email notification when the prize is deposited into your account. However, starting in mid-2019, we closed our old account in i-payout created a new one. If your previous payments were made through our old account, you will need to activate a new account. If this is the case you will receive instructions from us on how to set up your new account.

Important Reminders:

  • If you don’t have an i-payout account, please don’t attempt to create one before the event (you won’t be able to). Wizards of the Coast will create an account on your behalf.
  • Account activation and prize notifications will be sent out on the Thursday immediately following each tournament.
  • If you are having issues logging into your Organized Play Account, please contact Customer Service.
  • If you do not receive an activation email or payment notification from i-payout by the Friday immediately following a tournament, please contact premierplay@wizards.com
  • If you are having issues setting up your i-payout account or are locked out of your i-payout account, you will need to contact i-payout's customer support:

 

Event Prize Payment FAQ

 

I need to get a 1099 or 1042-s tax form. When/where can I get this?

1099 and 1042-s forms are produced annually (typically in late January or early February). These forms will detail any prizes that have been paid to you and any taxes that may have been withheld. These forms will be available for you to view or download via your i-payout account, and as soon as they have been uploaded you will receive an email letting you know that they are there.

 

I traveled to the US to compete in a tournament and there was tax withheld on my prize. Can you tell me why?

The US government requires us to withhold 30% of winnings from non-US residents when the prize is won in the US. Unless you have a ITIN number (basically a US Social Security number for non-US residents) and there is a tax treaty between your country and the US, we must withhold the 30%.

 

Why were there taxes withheld from a prize I won at an event in California?

Tax withholding of 7% will be applied to all non-California resident players on the total winnings that take such player over $1500.00 in annual cumulative taxable earnings per California state law. For non-US resident players this is in addition to the previously mentioned 30% withholding.

 

I won a prize on MTG Arena or Magic Online, and there was tax withholding on my prize. Can you tell me why?

All events run on MTG Arena and Magic Online are considered to have been run in the United States. The US government requires us to withhold 30% of winnings from non-US residents when the prize is won in the US. Unless you have a ITIN number (basically a US Social Security number for non-US residents) and there is a tax treaty between your country and the US, we have to withhold the 30%.

 

I want to claim back the withheld tax amount, can you help me with this?

Unfortunately, no. We are unable to offer tax advice and recommend that you speak to a tax professional where you live to ask about how to possibly recover the funds.

 

I have an ITIN number and shouldn’t have taxes withheld – what do I do now?

Please email us directly at premierplay@wizards.com and attach:

  1. A copy of your letter from the United States Treasury with your ITIN number on it
  2. An updated W8-BEN (which you can download from the IRS website).
    1. Make sure to fill out Part I (Your ITIN number goes in line 5).
    2. Fill out line 9 in Part II.
    3. Sign the bottom.

Once we receive this email, we will send it over to Hasbro Accounting for their approval. As soon as we get approval from them to no longer withhold taxes from your US prize winnings, we will let you know.