Utah Insists there Will Be No Change to the State Gambling Laws

Whilst states across the US are debating whether or not to advocate online gambling in the wake of the Justice Department’s announcement that only sports betting is illegal under the federal wire act.

Utah has adamantly thrown itself against online gambling in the fullest, by issuing a new law prohibiting online gambling in all forms, including on hand-held devices.

The change in the American gambling laws was widely expected to see many states adopt a policy of online gambling to a certain extent, reaping in the rewards that the new taxable revenue might bring. Utah however is showing no signs of any such interest.

online gambling news in United States has reported that the new bill issued in Utah, was introduced by Republican representative Stephen Sandstrom who is quoted as saying on the matter that “we want to keep Utah free from the negative impacts of legalized gambling.”

A strong twenty five to two vote effectively killed off all opposition to the new bill, which freed internet service providers from being prosecuted for any illegal gambling in the state, which lends reason to believe that individual people will instead face the wrath of the Utah authorities if they gamble. One more final vote, and the signature of the Governor of Utah will see the bill a done deal.

Utah has strongly opposed gambling since 1896 when it first became illegal to gamble in the mid-western state, and this bill is widely seen as a continuation of that long running Utah tradition, by adding online gambling to the list of other forms outlawed in the state.

Utah’s reluctance to permit any form of gambling could be the stumbling block in any governmental attempt to create a federal law permitting some form of online gambling in all fifty states.

Whilst many see the terms of the new bill as extremely harsh, specifically at a time when many other states are considering allowing their residents to online poker sites in United States, Mr. Sandstrom, does not.

“Without courageous leadership to block Internet gaming, Utah could see Indian casinos popping up state wide in just a few years. Utah is only one of two states that prohibit any form of gambling, Hawaii being the other.Unfortunately, this could change soon because Hawaii is currently considering legalizing gaming leaving Utah to fight the principled fight against legalized gambling on its own,” Stephen Sandstrom was quoted.