Given Utah’s stern anti-gambling laws, it’s no surprise to learn that the Beehive State does not currently offer legal online sports betting for its visitors or residents.
The Federal Government of the United States have actually decided that gambling online is legal, however, each state is required to pass legislation to regulate and license online casino operators and all online gambling under their own state laws.
No Sports Betting legalization legislation has been introduced, and Article VI, Section 27, of the state Constitution specifically forbids the legislature from, “authorizing any game of chance, lottery or gift enterprise under any pretense or for any purpose.”
In a radically contrary move to the spirit of the Federal Law, in 2012, Utah’s State Legislature passed the bill HB 108 for the express purpose of making online gambling and online poker illegal. Utah’s HB 108 goes as far to include a clause in the law that reinforces the independence of the Utah Law;
“if any federal law authorizes internet gambling in the states, this state shall opt out.”
Finally, as if to drive home the point in Utah, rather than open a loophole to allow sports betting in the state in 2018, lawmakers successfully sought to close all loopholes in the state’s gambling law by passing SB 0225.
It all goes to underline that players in Utah should not expect online sports betting anytime soon in Utah. In fact, if you’re looking for online gaming opportunities try;
States with Legal Online Poker and Casino Sites:
- New Jersey
- Nevada or nearby
- Colorado
- Utah residents can play DFS online. All major DFS sites accept players from the state of Utah.