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Utah already stands apart as one of the few US states with a full ban on gambling. Now lawmakers want to make sure no cracks remain. A new legislative proposal aims to spell out what the law already implies, closing off any remaining pathways for betting products that may sit outside traditional sportsbook models.
Good to Know
After years of firm opposition to gambling, Utah lawmakers are moving to reinforce that stance with more precise language. The goal centers on clarity rather than expansion, with state leaders saying betting products should not benefit from vague definitions.
Utah Representative Joseph Elison introduced legislation expected to reach Capitol Hill later in January that would amend the state criminal code. The proposal would explicitly classify proposition wagers as illegal gambling activity.
In comments to ABC4, Elison said the bill aims to clarify that any prop style wager falls under Utah law that already prohibits gambling. The language would apply to bets placed before or during athletic events and would cover wagers that mirror traditional sportsbook offerings.
Elison said the proposal exists to eliminate ambiguity that may have allowed certain betting products to operate in a legal gray area. Utah law already blocks residents from placing sports bets within state borders, and licensed sportsbooks rely on geolocation technology to enforce that restriction.
Some residents attempt to bypass geolocation blocks through virtual private networks. Elison acknowledged that behavior but noted such methods still fail to provide access to major regulated sportsbooks. He said personal testing of a DraftKings account confirmed that wagers could not be placed while physically located in Utah.
The bill emerged after reports suggested some platforms may allow Utah residents to place wagers without VPN use. Elison said those alleged workarounds drove the effort to update statutory language. The intent is to ensure any product that resembles sports wagering clearly falls under the existing ban.
Elison also addressed prediction markets such as Kalshi, which added sports related contracts last year. He said federal oversight limits state level action in that area. Because the Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulates prediction markets, Elison said state lawmakers have little authority, even as states like Nevada attempt to challenge that structure.
Utah law bans all forms of gambling, including sports betting.
The bill clarifies that proposition wagers qualify as illegal gambling under Utah criminal law.
Lawmakers want to prevent betting products from operating in legal gray areas created by unclear definitions.
State authority remains limited because the CFTC regulates prediction markets at the federal level.
Representative Joseph Elison said testing a DraftKings account confirmed wagers could not be placed from Utah.