Utah Poker – Compare the Best Real Money Poker Sites in UT

Is there poker in Utah?

No. Poker, along with all other forms of gambling, is not legal in the state of Utah and therefore, there are no poker institutions or UT-based poker sites available to players in the state of Utah.

Where can I play poker in Utah?

There are no legal live poker locations in Utah, however, poker fans may access online poker at offshore casinos.

Is there poker in Salt Lake City?

No. There are no live or UT online poker locations due to gambling restrictions.

Which states allow live poker?

Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and California all provision public participation in live poker.

Comparing Poker Sites in Utah

UT poker players should take the time to ensure that all factors are considered before committing real money to an online casino. Here is a comparison of some key features to consider when weighing up the pros and cons of each top-ranking poker casino to help you make the best decision as to which casino is more deserving of your hard-earned money.

Is Online Poker Legal in Utah?

Utah online poker is explicitly prohibited as per the local gambling legislation which states that all gambling that is described as ‘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 the return or outcome is based upon an element of chance’, is completely illegal.

Fortunately, poker fans living in the Beehive state may still participate in some of the world’s most prestigious poker tournaments right from the comfort of their own home. This is made possible thanks to the excellent offshore casinos available to Utah poker fans opting for an online gaming experience.

Utah Poker Laws

Because federal gambling laws provision the implementation of the individual state’s legislature, many states are subject to somewhat of a loophole due to their local governing authority’s failure to explicitly outline the legal status of online gambling within the state. However, Utah’s gambling authorities specifically outline that all changes in the federal legislation regarding the involvement of the public in online poker will not have any effect on the UT online gambling banning.

This is not likely to change anytime soon as the state has yet to make any movements toward the legalization of any gambling form, let alone poker or online poker. For this reason, there are no legitimate live poker rooms and tables within the state and UT will only be able to participate online when they register to an offshore poker site.

Can I Play at an Offshore Poker Room from Utah?

Although it is easy to slip into the rabbit hole of downloading VPN software and changing your IP address location in order to gain access to other gambling websites on the market, it is important that you opt for a casino that automatically makes itself available to Utah residents. The reason for this is that you will have a legal hindleg to stand on in the unlikely event that local whistleblowers have an issue with your decision to participate in online gambling.

All of the top offshore poker rooms on our recommendation list are available and accepting registrations from UT poker fans. Because these casinos are not based in the state of Utah, residents are presented with the opportunity to wager and win real money at online casinos with bases in other parts of the world.

Legal Poker Sites vs Offshore Poker Sites

In order for a gambling site to be defined as legal, local authorities will need to have made provisions for a regulatory body to oversee the activities and running of the site to ensure ethical practices and procedures are adhered to. Because there is currently a strict ban on public participation in Utah online poker, there are no legal, legitimate Utah-based websites in existence.

How can I tell the Difference between a Legal and Offshore Poker Site?

It is imperative that you may a conscious effort to check the legitimacy of an offshore casino before you commit by offering your personal information and banking details, and furthermore, depositing real money. A legal site is licensed and regulated by an official regulatory body. To check the legitimacy of a poker site, you’ll be able to check the licensing information found at the bottom of their homepage.

Should the casino be legitimate, a licensing number and a gaming authority will be listed. However, you should note that it isn’t impossible for a site to simply make up licensing information so if you have any concerns, you can always call the regulatory body directly to confirm the site’s association. A site that is regulated by a body is subject to strict procedures to ensure the safety of players’ information and money,

The top Utah online poker sites are all licensed offshore sites. This means that these sites are overseen by a licensing body located in the region in which the site is based and are therefore governed under the laws of that location.

Online Poker Safety & Fairness – Who Regulates Legal Online Poker Sites in Utah?

A licensed regulatory body is established in order to protect players from unethical gaming practices and provide players that have trouble managing a gambling habit with support and guidance. There are no regulatory bodies governing Utah poker participation because it is exclusively prohibited at the time of reporting.

Because offshore sites are governed under the laws of the base location, it’s imperative that we note that this generally doesn’t have any impact on the ethics of a site, however, you’ll need to check the site’s local laws to ensure you aren’t breaking any. Staying safe when gambling online has a lot to do with the precautions you take to ensure long-term no-risk gameplay. These precautions include double-checking that a site is licensed and established.

Another way to stay safe is to make use of the Utah online poker rooms’ gaming limits which can usually be found under the site’s profile settings. These entitle you to personalize your experience by placing a limit on gameplay time, maximum deposit, and maximum wager/bet.

Offshore Poker Sites in Utah – Are Offshore Poker Sites Safe for UT Players?

Being one of the strictest no-gambling states in the country, we’d have imagined the penalty for being caught gambling within the state would be a bit more serious. The state threatens to charge those found guilty of playing poker with a class B misdemeanor which may result in jail time of up to 6 months and a fine of up to just $1,000.

However, these threats are just that. The state is yet to charge or sentence a single person for gambling online while physically residing within the state borders. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely you’ll need to defend your case in a court of law for participating in online poker at an offshore site so we wouldn’t suggest spending much time worrying about it. To ensure you remain safe when gambling at offshore Utah poker sites, it’s best to opt for a reputable payment gateway that you are familiar with.

The popular transaction methods are generally encrypted with SSL technology which essentially makes your personal data unreadable by unwanted third parties looking to profit from you. and register your account after you have considered how much you can afford to lose in the event that you don’t win. These easy steps may prevent a lot of irritation by simply ensuring your hard-earned money is only accessible to you if and when you want to withdraw it.

Will Utah be Ring-Fenced or Shared Player Pool?

Ring-fencing a player pool is the act of banning players from different states or countries from competing against one another for the same prize pool or jackpot. Because we do not foresee the legalization of poker in Utah, be it live or online, it’s hard to predict whether or not the Utah online player pools will be shared or ring-fenced. However, we can speculate that due to the tight regulations placed on gambling at the time of writing, the player pools will be ring-fenced to ensure that all gambling laws are abided by.

Perks of Ring-Fencing Player Pools

When players from various locations compete against one another, the chances of legislatures pertaining to each player’s location clashing is highly likely. By preventing people from different locations from ever competing against one another, regulatory bodies are preventing probable, unintentional illegal practices. Therefore, the benefit of ring-fencing is mostly felt by the regulatory bodies in charge of overseeing online poker room practices as this practice ultimately prevents administrative chaos.

Ring-fenced casinos are also protected from the possibility of being charged criminally for unlawfully and purposefully authorizing players who are not legally allowed to participate in any poker games, which ultimately prevents unwarranted prosecution or penalties for the casino.

Drawbacks of Ring-Fencing Player Pools

One of the foremost drawbacks of ring-fencing lies with the players themselves. Naturally, the more players there are competing against one another, the higher the prize pool can be. By ring-fencing a player pool, the potential winnings are essentially diminished. Utah poker players only have the option to sign up at offshore casinos which are free of ring-fenced player pools, meaning that the largest prize pools can be found at offshore casinos due to the casino’s high foot traffic and subsequently, their enhanced cashflow.

How to Play Online Poker in Utah

If you’re ready to start wagering and winning real money, registering an account at the top offshore casino in Utah is as simple as a few short steps.

Step 1: Visit the BetOnline Casino Platform

Using the web browser on your desktop or mobile device, navigate to the BetOnline Casino website. Once you are on the homepage, select ‘Join’ to commence the registration process.

Step 2: Set Up Your BetOnline Profile

A box will pop up prompting you to fill in some of your basic personal information. This includes your email address and general area location. To maintain a high level of security, BetOnline will require you to provide proof of some of the personal information you provide so it’s important to provide accurate details to avoid administration delay.

Step 3: Boost Your Bankroll

Under the ‘Deposit’ tab located at the top of your homepage upon logging in to your new account, you’ll find a selection of various transaction methods for you to compare. Once you have chosen and set up your preferred transaction method, you will need to enter the relevant promo welcome bonus code before finalizing your first deposit in order to benefit from the reward.

Step 4: Play Utah Online Poker

With funds in the bank, you’re now ready to hit the felt. Select the ‘Poker’ page navigated at the top of the game lobby. Here you will have your choice between a variety of Utah online poker formats, from high stake SNGs to large prize pool poker tournaments.

Making Deposits & Withdrawals at Utah Poker Sites

Reputable transaction methods are offered by the best offshore casinos in Utah. Although each method provides a safe payment gateway for secure online transactions and gameplay, certain methods may prove particularly advantageous. The casino’s promotions page may give you more insight into whether a particular payment method could result in enhanced bonuses or other advantages such as instant transactions or decreased transaction time.

Crypto at Poker Sites

This type of payment method generally offers the most advantages, with some benefits directly being offered by the casino itself to crypto users. These benefits include reload bonuses, dedicated crypto loyalty membership bonuses, and exclusive access to poker tournaments and freerolls.

Other benefits of transacting with crypto, such as Ethereum, include instant transactions and limited transaction fees. For those looking to get the most out of the experience, watching exchange rates carefully and withdrawing your winnings at a crafty time could also land you more cash in the bank than you won in the first place.

eWallets at Poker Sites

These gateways are generally the most popular at all of the best Utah poker sites for a few reasons including little to no transacting fees and speedy withdrawals. eWallets, such as PayPal, also offer additional security with end-to-end SSL encryption technologies which are designed to make all the personal info you have submitted and stored unreadable by third parties.

Traditional Payment Methods

The only real benefit of having the option to transact using traditional payment methods such as direct wires and checks is that most people generally already have existing access to these gateways. This makes it easier for players that do not necessarily want to set up another method such as eWallets or Crypto profiles before they are certain that they want to commit.

These methods generally are associated with higher transaction fees and increased transaction time. The fees charged on traditional methods are either calculated as a percentage of the transaction you’re making or charged as a set amount.

Poker Site Bonuses available for Utah Players

All of the top Utah online poker sites we recommend offer an impressive array of poker bonuses in various forms extending far and wide, passed the initial welcome bonus. Both new and noob poker players will find bonus offerings to boost their bankrolls. For this reason, we suggest checking the terms and conditions of each bonus to ensure that you will have access to the full bonus benefits and avoid activating a bonus for which you can’t reach the rollover requirements.

Match Deposit Bonuses

As one of the most common types of bonuses available at almost all Utah online poker rooms, match deposit bonuses are in essence free money that can be used to wager and win real money prizes. It goes without saying that much like any other bonus, these bonuses are subject to wagering requirements which will be stipulated in the poker room’s terms and conditions.

A match deposit bonus is additional funds that are added to your account calculated as a percentage of the amount you have deposited. For example, a 100% match deposit would result in a bonus equal to the amount you have deposited. Many times, an additional condition is applied, whereby a maximum is placed on the amount the casino will payout as a deposit bonus. For example, a 100% match deposit may be subject to a maximum payout of $1,000, even if you deposited $1,500.

No Deposit Bonuses

Although these bonuses are few and far between, this type of bonus offer is considered pretty valuable because you are not required to deposit any real money in order to win real money. No deposit bonuses, when offered at all, are generally offered in the form of free spins or loyalty program rewards.

Naturally, these bonuses are generally teemed with high rollover requirements to ensure that players not intending to commit to long-term gameplay at the casino don’t have unlimited access to ‘free money’ without competing for a chance to draw it.

Free Roll Tickets

These are amongst the most valuable type of bonuses in the world of Utah online poker as these grant players access to higher stake tournaments and SNGs that they would otherwise not have been able to afford. Freeroll tickets are also considered ‘no deposit’ bonuses because winning an entry to an esteemed tournament is not dependent on whether or not you wager any real money, however, you will need to meet rollover requirements.

Playing on Utah Poker Apps & Mobile Sites

Taking your gaming experience on the go is the number one reason why thousands of Utah poker enthusiasts have flocked to online casinos for a chance to win real money using their mobile devices.

Mobile Poker Apps – Advantages & Disadvantages

Playing poker in UT has never been as simple as this. By simply clicking an icon on the homepage of your preferred mobile device, you’ll instantly gain access to some of the world’s most exciting high and low-stake poker tournaments, and you won’t need to step foot on a brick-and-mortar casino ground. Let’s consider the highs and lows of using a designated poker app offered by the top UT poker sites.

How to Download Poker Apps or Software

All of the best poker apps are fully optimized for smooth play on both iOS and Android devices. If you wish to make use of your desktop instead, you may also access your favorite poker tables using the web browser on your preferred device. Below we’ll touch on how to get set up using the BetOnline poker app in just a matter of minutes.

• Using your preferred mobile iOS or Android device, navigate to the BetOnline homepage on your web browser.
• Set up your BetOnline account by clicking ‘Join’ and filling in the personal details you are prompted to submit.
• Navigate to the BetOnline poker lobby and click ‘Download & Play’ to start the app download.
• A downloaded file called ‘pokermobile.apk’ will be saved to your device storage.
• Click on the file to commence the UT poker app installation and locate the app icon in your app gallery.

Tips for Playing Online Poker for Real Money in Utah

Below we have compiled a few important tips for ensuring a healthy experience from the get-go so that you can continue to enjoy real money poker tournament prizes for the long haul.

• Only Bet at Sites That Are Available in Your Area: It can become tempting to make use of VPN software that allows you to personalize your geolocation online in order to access certain restricted poker rooms. Apart from this being completely illegal, you’ll find that you will more than likely run into administration issues when attempting to withdraw your winnings which will ultimately result in you having to forfeit the real cash you used to fund your gameplay and your real cash winnings.
• Set A Budget and Hold Yourself Accountable: Before you start depositing money to fund your poker gameplay, you should take the time to consider how much you are willing to spend on online poker before your next payday. By writing your budget down, you are more likely to stick to it. But if you are someone who struggles with money management, you may find it particularly useful to personalize your gaming limits, from game time to maximum bets for example. These options are often found under your casino profile settings.
• Check the Promotions Page Regularly: In order to claim online casino bonuses, you’ll need to make use of casino promo codes. These codes can generally be located on a casino’s ‘Bonuses and Promotions’ page which means that before you finalize a deposit, you should remember to provide the promo code you wish to claim. By forgetting to provide this code before finalizing a deposit, you are ultimately forfeiting your opportunity to claim any bonus funds on the amount of money you deposited.
• Perfect Your Gameplan: Although you stand to win more if you bet more, it’s highly recommended that you start by taking your time. This means entering lower-stake poker events until you have confidently finetuned your game plan to a point that playing at higher-stake tables is no longer considered a risk, but rather a skills test. Poker is considered a game of skill in the state of Utah after all.
• Play At the Number 1 Poker Room: On top of a generous welcome bonus, BetOnline’s poker offering far outweighs hundreds of mediocre poker rooms available in the state of Utah. From large prize pools to frequent jackpots and bonuses, it’s hard to come up with a legitimate reason not to sign up at this poker room. Should you find that this casino isn’t quite what you’re looking for, the other ranking top UT poker apps are equally as rewarding so don’t settle.

Playing Online Poker vs Poker Live in Utah

Due to the incredibly restrictive gambling laws in the state of Utah, poker fans residing in this state have no option but to travel in order to experience a live poker match for real money. Utah’s neighbor state, Nevada, is home to some of the largest legal live poker rooms in the country. However, an online gaming experience offers plenty of advantages and for this reason, there are thousands of poker players located in the Beehive State, despite local gambling laws prohibiting participation in online poker.

By playing at offshore casinos, UT poker players are able to win large real money prizes without any legal repercussions. In addition, the number of online UT players is growing exponentially which is ultimately resulting in larger prize pools and increased winning potential with each day that passes.

Famous Utah Poker Players

The USA All-Time Money list is a great baseline for determining the most famous poker players in the world. Looking at this list, we were pleasantly surprised to find so many top-ranking players, despite the gambling laws in the state of UT. Let’s reflect on the careers of a few of these high-achieving poker players from UT.

• Jared Griener: Born in Provo, UT, Jared boasts a number one rank as the highest-winning poker player in the state. With a total of $2,234,604 in live winnings, his largest payout was a whopping $431,340 which he won at a $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em table at the 2016/2017 World Poker Tournament in Los Angeles.
• Frank Stepuchin: Born in Park City, Frank ranks number 2 on Utah’s list of highest-winning poker players. His live winnings total $1,298,204, while his largest win of $548,825 bashes Jared Griener’s out of the park. This record-breaking win for Utah player, Stepuchin, took place at a $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em table at the 2018/2019 World Poker Tournament, Gardens Poker Championships.
• Dylan Hortin: Born and currently residing in Salt Lake City, UT, Dylan Hortin trails closely behind the likes of Frank Stepuchin with an impressive total winning of $1,101,646. Though not as impressive as his outranking poker companions, Hortin bagged $196,156 at a $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em table at the 2017 Arizona State Poker Championship.

The Best Poker Site in Utah

The top online poker sites in the world can be accessed in Utah using most mobile devices and desktops. From large welcome bonuses to excellent rewards programs and enormous prize pools, all teemed with an exceptional user interface – Utah poker fans have the opportunity to access real money poker tables and win real money cash prizes despite the state’s restrictive gambling laws.

Ranking number 1 on our list of the top poker rooms in Utah, we recommend UT poker players sign up at BetOnline Casino to take advantage of their exceptional poker welcome offering as well as the ongoing rewards and bonuses offered frequently to both new and loyal poker players.