Gambling in Utah is not allowed. Any kind of gambling activity is strictly prohibited in this state, and even social gambling with friends can be punishable by law. In fact, it’s safe to say that Utah is perhaps the strictest state in the entire Union when it comes to gambling.
One of the reasons why Utah has such a relation with gambling is that 60% of the state’s residents identify themselves as Mormon. One of the things that the Mormon Church strictly forbids is gambling in all forms.
The state also forbids all kinds of online gambling activities, so this limits Utahans to a very limited selection.
How can you play online casino games from Utah? Is there a way to do this at all? Will Utah ever legalize gambling? Read this article to find out more.
Top 10 Utah Online Casinos
Here is a list of our top 10 recommended online casino sites to play at for real money from Utah.
1
Bovada
Rating 4.5
Mobile Friendly
Accepts Bitcoin
Live dealers available
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, echeck, MasterCard, Matchpay, Visa, Visa Gift Card
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Courier Check, echeck, Ethereum, Gift Cards, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Tether, User2User Transfer, Visa
Withdrawal Methods: American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, User2User Transfer
The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino. • The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer. • The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus. • Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus. • The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted. • Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Deposit Methods: American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, BitcoinSV, Courier Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Player Transfer, Tether, Visa
Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
This promotion is non-transferable.
Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
Gambling, as a whole, is illegal in the state of Utah. As we explained in the introduction, that’s mainly because of the state’s current demographic, with the majority of residents of the Beehive State being Mormon.
When you compare Utah to many other states in the US, you’ll see that it has some very restrictive laws regarding gambling. Although many states in the US do not allow online gambling, they don’t prosecute those who decide to participate in such activities.
Things are a bit different in Utah. The state’s lawmakers criminalized online poker and gambling in 2012 when they created HB 108. One important excerpt from this legislative piece basically prohibits Utah from legalizing online gambling even if the federal government decides to legalize this type of activity nationwide.
It’s not difficult to conclude that Utahans really don’t like gambling and that this type of activity is not likely to be legalized soon.
Online gambling is illegal in many American states, but the law mainly applies to operating online casinos and other gambling platforms. However, you are still free to join one of the available offshore casinos and play casino games that way. People who take part in offshore gambling are usually not prosecuted by the local authorities.
Is this also applicable to Utah? Although you can access offshore casinos, you should first consult your lawyer whether to engage in such activity. There are no recorded cases of someone actually being prosecuted for joining an offshore gambling site, but it’s still illegal and may result in huge fines. The safest way to play casino games on the web is to go to another state where the laws about online gambling are looser.
Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Utah?
One type of gambling that’s completely legal in Utah is daily fantasy sports. The residents of this state are free to join some of the biggest DFS providers on the web and participate in this type of entertainment.
DFS is legal because the Utah law doesn’t recognize it as a game of chance. Utahans consider it a contest of skill, and that’s why they are allowed to play it.
Therefore, if you’re a fan of betting on fantasy sports, this is your opportunity to have fun without suffering any consequences.
Future of Online Gambling in Utah
If we were to name one state where we don’t see gambling being legalized anytime soon, that’s Utah. The state even opted out of nationwide online gambling legalization, should such an event take place. In other words, even if online gambling becomes legal in the entire country, Utah will still refuse to legalize it.
The lawmakers are not alone in this, as a majority of residents are anti-gambling too. As long as the support for the ban is there, it is highly unlikely that gambling will be legalized anytime soon.
If you’re pro-gambling and live in Utah, you’re definitely in the minority.
Land-Based Casino Options in Utah
Utah is one of the two US states that don’t have any casinos, the other one being Hawaii. The laws are so strict in this state that even riverboat casinos are not allowed. Therefore, the only option you have is to travel to one of the neighboring states that allow gambling.
The irony is that Utah shares its longest border with Nevada, a state where all forms of gambling are legal. Therefore, as a Utah resident, you’ll have to go on a road trip if you want to visit an online casino. Las Vegas is six hours away from Salt Lake City if you travel by car. If you live somewhere closer to Utah’s southern border, you’ll have to travel an even shorter distance. There are seven daily flights from SLC to Vegas, and each trip takes approximately 1h 20m.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, gambling in Utah is prohibited, and this also includes all forms of online gambling. The only legal activity that can be described as gambling is fantasy sports, but the law in Utah recognizes it as a contest of skill rather than luck.
Offshore casinos are available in Utah, but it’s illegal to open an account and take part in gambling activities. If you want to do it, we strongly advise you to contact your lawyer and consult with them first.
As for land-based gambling options, your best bet is to get in your car and drive to one of the states surrounding Utah. The good news is that Utah’s first neighbor is Nevada, which means Vegas is only a couple of hours away!
FAQ
No. Gambling, in general, is illegal in Utah, and this also includes all kinds of online gambling platforms.
You must be at least 21 to be able to gamble in Utah. However, gambling is not allowed in the state, so even if you’re 21 or older, you will not have many options.
As a matter of fact, DFS is the only legal form of gambling in Utah, according to state law.
Most forms of sports betting are illegal in Utah, except for daily fantasy sports.
Poker in any form is illegal in Utah, including online poker.
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