Viktor Blom could owe up to 1 billion kronor (US$149 million) in Swedish taxes

The popular online high-stakes player known as Isildur1, has recently revealed his identity as Viktor Blom, as he signs a sponsorship deal with Pokerstars.

However, according to an article at Sweden’s english newspaper, The Local, this may be a costly decision as it was reported that Blom could owe as much as 1 billion kronor ($US149 million) in taxes. The Swedish Tax agency, Skatteverket, also announced they were going to investigate some of the financial dealings of online poker sites that declare their businesses are based overseas yet still maintain key elements within Sweden – but would not confirm if Blom was a part of their inquiry.

Unfortunately for Blom though, Swedish tax laws are not favourable towards poker players. In fact, how much is won or lost in any hand is not important; he instead would be taxed on how much he wagered. This means if Blom bet $1 million during a hand and lost, he would still have to pay tax on that $1 million that he wagered.

Blom created quite a stir within the online high-stakes community and had numerous clashes with well known professionals which resulted in millions of dollars being won and lost on a regular basis. He was successful in hiding his true identity during this time and even after his name was revealed, a lot of mystery remains as he has refused all interview requests.