Utah – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations

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Casino gambling is entirely illegal in Utah. As a result, you won’t be able to find any gambling facilities in the state. The good news is that gambling is legal in Nevada and the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas, is only a couple of hours by car away. Las Vegas doesn’t need much of an introduction, and you are probably aware of the fantastic entertainment that is awaiting you in the city of lights. If you want to go on a trip to Nevada to test your luck against the house, you should be aware that the legal age for gambling in the entire state is 21. 

A lot of Utahns are also playing in foreign-based online casinos. This is technically illegal but, currently, the state does not prosecute individuals that are found to be participating in online gambling. Before you get started, you should make sure that you are fully aware of the legal situation and make a judgment call on whether or not you think it’s worth the risk.  

• Check the jurisdiction of the online casino
• Does the casino accept players from Utah?
• Do you have access to the accepted payment methods?
• Is the casino properly licensed to ensure fair gaming?
• The minimum age for gambling at most international online casinos is 18
• The minimum age for gambling in nearby Nevada is 21

In order to find out more about the best international online casinos that accept players from Utah, we recommend that you check out our GoodLuckMate top lists and casino reviews.

Gambling Regulation

Almost all forms of gambling are illegal in the state of Utah at the time of writing. This also includes online casinos. While most states in the US do not have a specific law against that, it’s a different story in Utah. Recently, they made an amendment to the states' constitution, saying:

“If any federal law is enacted that authorizes internet gambling in the states and that federal law provides that individual states may opt-out of internet gambling, this state shall opt-out of internet gambling in the manner provided by federal law and within the time frame provided by that law.

“Whether or not any federal law is enacted that authorizes Internet gambling in the states, this section acts as this state’s prohibition of any gambling, including internet gambling, in this state.”

Furthermore, Utah is one of the few states that doesn’t have its own state lottery. It is possible to play Bingo as the operators of the Bingo Parlors found a clever loophole. The way it works is that you merely pay for dinner and while you’re at it, you can play Bingo for “free”. This means that they are operating within the law as they do not charge bingo players for their cards. 

Localized Online Casinos

In spite of the online casino ban in the state, you still have the opportunity (at your own risk) to gamble on foreign-based sites from within Utah. Some of them are blocked by the government  – however many residents of Utah are using VPN connections to access them. While this is technically illegal, law enforcement is not pursuing online gambling participants at this point.  

Almost all international online casinos are designed for English-speaking customers. As a result, you can enjoy the games and customer support in your native language. All common payment methods are accepted. This includes instant banking, wire transfers, credit cards, and several eWallets. In some cases, you will also have the opportunity to deposit with cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Litecoin to name but a few. Please keep in mind that players from the US are not always eligible for bonus offers.   

Gambling with US Dollar

As the US dollar is one of the major currencies of the world, it is commonly accepted in many international online casinos as well. Plus, as we previously mentioned, you don’t have a lot of opportunities to gamble for US dollars in Utah. However, many residents of the state regularly visit the neighboring states where gambling is fully legal. Popular destinations are Idaho and Nevada, where you can obviously make use of the local currency. 

Casinos in Utah

Unfortunately, there is not a single casino in the state of Utah. Other forms of gambling aren’t an option either – except for a couple of bingo parlors that are, technically-speaking, “restaurants” as we previously explained. Luckily, you have some of the best casinos in the western hemisphere just around the corner in the state of Nevada. Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the world, is less than a two-hour drive away from the state border. 

On the Las Vegas strip, you can find iconic casinos such as the Wynn, the Palazzo, the Venetian, the Bellagio, the New York - New York, or the famous MGM Grand. If you are looking for a more traditional experience, you can visit Fremont Street, which is home to historic casinos like the Four Queens and the Golden Nugget. Online casinos that accept players from Utah are often regulated and located in Curaçao, Anjouan, St. Kitts, and Costa Rica, for example.