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Home › State Laws › Utah

Online Poker & Gambling Laws in Utah

Written by Jennifer Newell
Last updated on September 14th, 2023
The legal statue and 4 playing cards with the Utah State Flag as the back drop.

While Utah may have the veneer of a state absolutely opposed to gambling, the truth has always been that a number of residents enjoy a variety of betting games – including poker.

Online poker doesn’t enjoy the same level of popularity in Utah as in a state like California, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a sizeable contingent of online poker players from Utah taking up seats at the virtual tables of Internet poker rooms. Where to play, how to play and what state law says about playing poker online are the subjects of this Guide to Online Poker in Utah.

This section is for players who lack any familiarity with Utah gambling law and Utah online poker regulations. In Utah, you can indeed play online poker. The options are limited to offshore poker rooms for those looking to play for real money.

With all of that out of the way, here are our picks for the best online poker experience from Utah

Top Sites for Online Poker in Your State

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Utah Gambling & Poker Laws Summarized

Type/CodeSummary
State Code Section(s)76.10.11
Definition of GamblingRisking anything of value for a return or risking anything of value upon the outcome of a contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device when the return or outcome is based upon an element of chance and is in accord with an agreement or understanding that someone will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.
Definition of Internet GamblingGambling or gaming by use of the internet or any mobile electronic device that allows access to data and information.
Definition of Gambling BetMoney, checks, credit, or any other representation of value.
Definition of Fringe GamblingAny gambling, lottery, or video gaming device which is given, conducted, or offered for use or sale by a business in exchange for anything of value, or given away incident to the purchase of other goods or services.
Definition of Gambling GuiltA person is guilty of gambling if the person participates in gambling, including any Internet or online gambling; knowingly permits any gambling to be played, conducted, or dealt upon or in any real or personal property owned, rented, or under the control of the actor, whether in whole or in part; or knowingly allows the use of any video gaming device that is in any business establishment or public place and accessible for use by any person within the establishment or public place.
Online Poker/GamblingIn a state that is notoriously anti-gambling in every respect, there have been and will not be any proposals to legalize online poker or gaming.
Live PokerUtah has no legal live poker cash games or tournaments.
CasinosThere are no casinos in Utah, nor any considerations to authorize them.
Sports BettingUtah lawmakers will not consider sports betting proposals.
DFSThere have been no attempts to legalize daily fantasy sports contests.
Other Forms of GamblingNone.

Law Enforcement on Gambling

Symbol of law and justice with Utah State Flag on laptop. Studio shot.
Utah Online Poker

Despite the state ban and a certain underground gambling culture, Utah law enforcement seldom seems to crack down on illegal gambling. From 2008 to 2013, authorities brought only 48 illegal gambling cases forward. These mainly involved an organized high-stakes gambling operations that charged a “rake” (a percentage of bets) or gambling at Internet cafes.

Gambling is a Class B misdemeanor in Utah, so local and state officials see little reason to prosecute gamblers. Certain gambling activities are tolerated in Utah if conducted discreetly and under control.

Online Poker in Utah

A quick word about how we select these sites: We focus exclusively on rooms that provide safe, reliable online poker experiences. We only list rooms that are properly and legally licensed to operate. Finally, our list of the top Utah online poker sites consists only of rooms that make it easy for players from Utah to deposit and cash out funds.

Can Poker Players From Utah Play Poker Online?

Most US-friendly sites (including, obviously, those on the above list) accept players who call Utah home. That being the case, there’s little difficulty involved in signing up to play poker online from Utah. The one part of the process where we get the most questions from players involves making a deposit at an online poker site; you can learn more about how that works in our guides to depositing with credit cards or services such as MoneyGram.

Is Online Poker Legal in Utah?

To help you get up to speed on the issue, here is a selection of excerpts from Utah law that are potentially relevant to online gambling:

One reason why most state gambling law in the United States gets confusing is because states have to twist and contort their laws to accommodate newly introduced forms of regulated gambling. As Utah has absolutely no forms of regulated gambling, that’s not an issue with Utah gambling law.

Utah also has one of the more straightforward definitions of gambling of any state in America. Per section 76-10-1101, gambling is

“risking anything of value for a return or risking anything of value upon the outcome of a contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device” when that outcome involves an “element of chance” and it’s agreed that someone “will receive something of value”

in connection with that outcome.

Individual gamblers do face a potential charge in Utah. Section 76-10-1102 assigns a misdemeanor charge to the act of participating in gambling.

Utah law contains one of the broader (and most clearly articulated) prohibitions against simply promoting gambling.  As detailed in Section 76-10-1104 :

“Gambling promotion” – it’s a misdemeanor if someone “derives or intends to derive an economic benefit other than personal winnings from gambling” under certain conditions.

In both cases, the severity of the charge escalates with subsequent offenses.

Read more at the official online copy of Utah state law.

Is Utah Regulated Online Poker Coming Soon?

Doubtful. As we’ve already discussed, Utah has one of the strictest attitudes toward gambling of any sort in the nation. With most states, you can imagine at least some scenario, sometimes a little far-fetched, in which online poker regulation might come to pass. With Utah, it is literally impossible to imagine a plausible scenario where Utah-regulated Internet poker becomes a reality.

Given the aggressive measures the state has put in place to pre-empt any participation in a federal online poker regulatory regime, it seems safe to assert that Utah is 50 out of 50 on the list of states most likely to regulate online poker sites.

Utah Gambling Facts

Utah is an exception to the stereotype of a typical Western territory in the 1800s. While gambling flourished across nearly all of the frontier, especially in areas focused primarily on mining and resource exploration, Utah took a position against gambling prior to its entrance into the union.


A fascinating trivia fact about gambling in Utah: Horse race bets were briefly legal from approximately 1925 to 1927. While there have been a number of attempts to bring regulated gambling back within Utah’s borders, opponents of expansion have won the day at every turn so far. In the 1990s, Utah considered reintroducing regulated gambling via a voting initiative to introduce pari-mutuel betting. The initiative faced defeat in November 1992, with a margin of 60-40.

What are the Regulated Gambling Options in Utah?

Zip, zero and zilch. There are only two states in America that don’t allow any type of regulated gambling, and Utah is the continental member of that prohibitionist couple (Hawaii is the other).

While the lottery, tribal gambling and pari-mutuel wagering have made inroads in even the most socially-conservative states of the South and Southwest, Utah has remained steadfast in its absolute opposition to any activity that resembles gambling.

Utah has witnessed inventive efforts to bypass strict gambling laws with bingo halls and poker rooms, but law enforcement usually contests them.

As expected from the previous section, Utah lacks any state-regulated online poker sites. Nearly two dozen other states in the United States are investigating regulation of some type of Internet-based gambling, but the chance of Utah joining that list at any point in the foreseeable future is nil.

Wasatch Poker Tour

The Wasatch Poker Tour is one way poker players get around Utah gambling laws. The WPT has 1,200 members. Players enter tournaments with prizes, though they do not pay an entry fee. Prizes are provided by the bars which host events. The Wasatch Poker Tour is a member of the United Bar Poker Tour (UBPT), a national federation of bar poker enthusiasts.

Fifteen Salt Lake City pubs host events every night of the week. Prizes usually are not more than $1,000 for 1st place, though some events have a free trip to a World Series of Poker event. Those who finish in the winnings also receive league points.

Chadler Cowles, a former director of the Utah chapter of the Poker Players Alliance, said, “There’s so much poker going on in this state. You’d be surprised at who you saw at a game — doctors, lawyers, dentists, sometimes bishops, active members of every church you could imagine.”

Bingo Nights

Another way people get around the injunction is to attend “free” bingo nights at local restaurants. Bingo players pay $25 or more for a cafeteria-style plate of food, then play bingo for free (and prizes) the rest of the evening. This was a phenomenon for a time in the mid-2000s, but officials cracked down on such activities.

A local level compromise was reached. Business cannot have word “Bingo” in their name. Play is restricted to four nights a week, or less in some cities. Cashiers must ask whether the patron wants to play bingo or not — it’s not assumed. Also, snacks must be offered at market rates.

Utah State Lottery

Utah is one of a few states which still does not have a lottery. Despite that, Utahns are said to like to play the lottery. The Deseret News reported that 19% of Idaho’s lottery sales come from Utah residents, though that statistic might be hearsay.

A handful of people have started online petitions to support a state lottery, but these sites have little chance of making an impact. The UtahLottery4Utah site mainly seems to exist to sell t-shirts.

Utah Gambling Resources

CityWeekly: Gambling in Utah. Feature piece from CityWeekly that takes an in-depth look at the past, present and future of gambling in Utah.

BallotPedia: Utah Gambling Initiatives. Central resource for information about all ballot initiatives – past and present – related to gambling in the state of Utah.

Gambling Law US: Utah. Complete text of the state laws of Utah with regards to gambling, including updates that cover Utah’s most recent law concerning online poker.

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Utah in the News

Graham and Chaffetz Introduce Bipartisan Bill to End Online Gaming
Cliff Spiller Cliff Spiller

Graham and Chaffetz Introduce Bipartisan Bill to End Online Gaming

Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Republican U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz introduced a bipartisan bill to end online gambling on

Jason Chaffetz Grows in Stature in the US House of Representatives
Cliff Spiller Cliff Spiller

Jason Chaffetz Grows in Stature in the US House of Representatives

Most of the online gambling community knows Jason Chaffetz as the member of the House of Representatives most associated with

Pala Interactive’s Jim Ryan Says Federal Ban of iGaming Has “A Good Shot of Passing”
Cliff Spiller Cliff Spiller

Pala Interactive’s Jim Ryan Says Federal Ban of iGaming Has “A Good Shot of Passing”

Pala Interactive CEO Jim Ryan recently expressed strong concerns that the Restoration of the Wire Act legislation could pass in

Jennifer Newell

Jennifer Newell

Editor
View All Posts By Jennifer Newell
Jennifer started her poker journey during the early 2000s, inspired by working with the World Poker Tour. Her passion for the game ignited a thriving freelance writing career by 2006. Armed with almost two decades of hands-on experience, she has ascended to the pinnacle of poker expertise, specializing in writing for publications like Poker Player Newspaper, PokerStars, and Mediarex. Beyond her writing, Jennifer has managed poker news aggregation at PokerScout and ghostwriting for professional poker players. She excels in interviews, opinion pieces, and tracks legal developments in the poker and gambling sectors. Moreover, she’s a dedicated advocate for gender diversity in the poker community.

Disclaimer: The information on this site is my interpretation of the laws as made available online. It is in no way meant to serve as legal advice or instruction. We recommend that you seek legal advice from a licensed attorney for further or official guidance.

Sources & Citations For This Article on Utah Online Poker

  • Utah Legislature
  • H.B. 108 Bill Documents – 2012 General Session
  • Utah Legal Guide
  • National Council on Problem Gambling (Utah)
  • Official State Website
  • Laws/Code of Utah

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