Utah Gambling
FAQ / Q&A -- History -- Regulation -- Land Based Casinos -- Fun Facts
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Utah Online Casinos
Utah’s constitution directly mentions online gaming, and not in a liberal way. Mobile electronic devices are mentioned as means to access internet gambling options, are clear characteristics are given to what a computer, smartphone, or tablet as an illegal video gaming device would look like.
One option, which is 100% guaranteed legal, is to play at a social casino, like Vegas World.
Regulation and legality of Utah online gambling
Online gambling is not legal in Utah. Every time when we remember the situation in Utah, we feel quite a bit of sadness. There hasn’t been a state in the entire country that has been so adamant in keeping gambling illegal at all costs.
Even most Southern states have chosen to take it easy and rethink their opinions for the sake of economic prosperity. Tennessee is one prominent example of this, as the introduction of the lottery and online sports betting netted them billions of dollars.
Utah, on the other hand, has been ruthless when it comes to all forms of games of chance. The details pertaining to this activity are found in a special chapter of the Utah State Criminal Code, called ‘Offenses Against Public Health, Safety, Welfare, and Morals’.
This should give you an idea about how conservative Utahn lawmakers really are. In fact, they’re one of only two states that have no lottery. Both they and Alabama cite religious reasons as the main argument for their decisions.
Did you know that Utah had a two-year instance when they had legal gambling? Believe it or not, pari-mutuel betting was available from 1925 to 1927, due to the concerns of the Mormon citizens and lawmakers.
Today, one can only enjoy bingo or poker in one of just two card rooms in the entire state. Even bingo joints have to use legal loopholes. You see, most establishments are registered as a restaurant with ‘free bingo’. The meals are a little bit expensive, just to have an implicit form of wagering.
To make matters worse, Title 6: Chapter 10 – Part 11 – Section 1102 of the Utah Criminal Code explicitly mentions ‘internet gambling’ and ‘online gambling’ as punishable offenses. However, there is a silver lining. In legal practice in Utah, there hasn’t been a single case of a person ever being arrested and/or convicted of illegal gambling.
Thankfully, there is yet another silver lining that will allow you to gamble hassle-free. You see, Utan authorities have no jurisdiction over offshore sites. These offshore casinos can legally allow players from Utah to create accounts and play away. If you manage to find a site that’s both reputable and well-licensed, you should be able to have a full and fulfilling gaming experience.
As for the future, well... It’s pretty bleak. There haven’t even been attempts to legalize online casinos, so it’s safe to say that only a bad economic situation will be able to force Utah to consider gambling as a legitimate form of revenue and entertainment.
The section 76-10-1102 of the Utah Constitution states that locals are breaking the law by participating “in gambling, including any internet or online gaming.” Utah’s legislators went as far as to add the following clause in the 2012 HB 108 bill: “if any federal law authorizes internet gambling in the states, this state shall opt out.” This means that Utah would not recognize any future legalization of gambling on a federal level. That’s how much they oppose the evolution of gambling in their community.
Utah won’t even allow state lottery because it would probably pave the way towards the opening of tribal casinos, and who knows what else. In 2015, Utah House Rep. Jason Chaffetz introduced the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) which sought to ban online gaming across the United States. Sure, the Beehive State’s conservative culture was known to everyone, but why would someone take the issue to the national level is not entirely logical. The act did not progress.
In summary, Utahans have multiple safe choices in the form of offshore betting sites, and also a flourishing internet poker market in neighboring Nevada.
Gambling history in Utah
Utah territory was settled in the 1840s by a group of people from the Church of Latter Day Saints, better known as Mormons. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as we all know frown upon and is openly opposed when it comes to any vice, especially drugs, sex, and gambling. Roughly 62% of Utah population identify themselves as Mormons today, which always gives them an advantage whenever the issue of gambling is mentioned by the public and government officials. The Beehive State has been maintaining the Mormon tradition since 1847, developing a deeply religious culture with little to no flexibility towards the slightest forms of gambling. Practically nothing, or very little, has changed since the inception of the state.
Utah history argues against gambling. During the state’s territorial days, there were some scarce underground fixtures and for a short period of time in the 1920s Utah legislation allowed betting on horse racing. It would be naïve to dismiss underground gambling activities today, because they must exist. Casual betting, such as social pools are quite common, but there are no lottery-selling facilities, no casinos, no bingo halls and no sportsbook venues in Beehive State.
To reaffirm what was already mentioned - Utah does not have a single casino facility within its borders. There are no brick and mortar casinos, as casino gambling is prohibited under Utah Criminal Code. Only a hypothetical massive change in demographics might affect the attitude of Utah towards placing wagers, because there won’t be any casinos as long as there are Mormons inhabiting it and the influence of religion is on such a high level. In the absence of commercial and tribal casinos, Utah residents have two options - to cross the state’s borders and pay a visit to land-based casinos in the neighboring states or settle for social clubs and underground poker games.
Northern Utahans are the closest to Idaho casinos near its southern border. Idaho is also a source of lottery entertainment - some magazines have reported that residents of Utah spend more than 6 million dollars annually on Idaho’s lottery. Wyoming and New Mexico are also favorable destinations with tribal casinos, racing tracks and lottery tickets. The most popular region, however, for Utah gamblers is Nevada and such cities as West Wendover and Las Vegas.
Poker tournaments are s offered in Utah, based on legal loopholes - the tournament organizers don’t charge players buy-ins and avoid the backlash from the law. The Wasatch Poker Tour runs poker tournaments at 15 sports bars and pubs in the Salt Lake City area, despite being protested by Stop Predatory Gambling. Anything remotely similar to a casino in Utah is Southgate Social Club, which offers free bingo cards over dinner.
Neighbouring States: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming
How old do you have to be to play at Utah online casinos?
21. Remember, even though Utahn law enforcement doesn’t enforce gambling-related laws against players, they are more than willing to pounce on cases of underage gambling. Most other states have a 21+ threshold, so this is your best bet to stay safe.
Nowadays, most offshore casinos have identity verification measures, so it’s practically impossible to fake your identity or gamble whilst underage.
What games can you play?
As there are no Utah-based sites, you have the whole world at your fingertips. Due to the overwhelming number of sites at your disposal, choosing the right casino is a tough call. You’ll find that some games appear on almost every popular site, so it’s up to you to see which other titles and features are enough for you to make a proper choice.
Do casino sites in Utah offer live casino games, too?
Of course. Utah is completely devoid of all forms of gambling, so live casino software is about the only way they can experience what’s it like playing in a casino. Nowadays, live dealer titles are so advanced that even the most complex animations can seem like they’re an integral part of the studio.
Which payment methods are in use at Utah online casinos?
Pretty much the same as in the rest of the US, really. eWallets have quickly become the top option for most players, as you can use them for online shopping and enjoy fast transfers. PayPal is ubiquitous in 2020, and other brands have followed suit. Neteller and Skrill are the main contenders.
Credit cards are perhaps the most popular, despite all the security issues surrounding this particular payment method. Wire transfers and ACH are also used from time to time, but they have been surpassed by more modern solutions.
Aside from eWallets, cryptos are yet another revolutionary platform. They allow for anonymity and transactions that cannot be tampered with.
How fast can you hope to receive your withdrawal?
In most cases, Utah online casinos send withdrawals right away. How much time you have to wait is something that depends on the payment platform you’re using. Expect something along the lines of these timeframes:
● Cryptocurrencies: up to one hour
● eWallets: instant
● ACH: 4-6 days
● Bank-issued cards: 3-5 days
● Wire transfer: 5-7 days
Fun Facts about Utah
- The name Utah originates from Native American words "Yuttahih" and "Ute". The Ute tribe was named like that because the word means “people of the mountains”. The Apache would call the Navajo Indians Yuttahih, which means “one that is higher up”.
- Utah is home to five national parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Arches National Park contains more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. In the past, the honor of naming them went to random hikers who have discovered yet undocumented arches.
- The Kennecott Copper Mine in Utah is the largest open-pit mine in the world. It is a mile deep and 2.5 miles wide - also visible from outer space. Trucks spend more than two hours driving from the bottom to the top of the pit.
References
[1] Utah Gaming Laws
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