Utah Sports Betting Remains A Long Shot

As legislative sessions around the United States get underway for 2025, the fate of Utah sports betting during meetings in The Beehive State does not warrant much discussion. The general stance among officials remains the same as ever. They do not plan to legalize sports betting in Utah anytime soon.

However, it turns out that betting on horse racing may be a different story.

Senate Bill 156 was submitted at the opening of The Beehive State’s 2025 legislative sessions. If it passes, it legalizes pari-mutuel horse race betting. Here is Brian Mullahy from KMYU in Salt Lake with the details:

“It may be an opening wager—a new proposal at the Utah State Capitol is making a run for pari-mutuel horse racing, with counties opting to allow betting on outcomes at the track. [Senate Bill 156] would create a pari-mutuel horse racing commission, with members appointed by the governor to oversee permits and licensing. Under the measure, voters – county by county – would decide whether to allow park-mutuel racing within their borders. ‘On or before December 31, 2025, each county legislative body shall put the question of whether to allow pari-mutuel events within the county in a general or special election,’ according to the bill.”

This is a rather large development considering the state’s overall views of Utah sports betting and general gambling. What are the chances this measure passes? And is there a world in which this opens the door for sports betting online in Utah? Let’s talk about it.

Will the Utah Horse Racing Betting Bill Actually Have A Chance at Passing?

History suggests the answer to this question is a resounding “no.” All forms of gambling are almost universally frowned upon inside the state. In particular, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has strong stances on Utah sports betting. And given its influence in the state, it plays a pivotal role in shaping policy.

This apparently applies to the prospect of horse racing betting in Utah as well. The state previously tried to expand the rules of pari-mutuel wagering decades ago. Though there was some support, it never “crossed the finish line,” in large part because of opposition from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. To date, their view of gambling in Utah has not changed. Will things really be different now?

It certainly seems like that way. Multiple policymakers are obviously on board with the horse race betting legalization. In the event a vote on SB 156 fails, there is apparently language that says “county leaders could hold another vote in just weeks.”

If there is even a chance of multiple votes in such a short period of time, it signals a fair amount of support, if not tons of it. And that, in turn, implies SB 156 itself has substantial backing among the Utah voting population. These proposals are not churned out as stabs in the dark. There is real market research behind them.

Additional Signs That Stance On Utah Sports Betting Could One Day Shift

If pari-mutuel, horse race betting comes to The Beehive State it raises a question: Will this softening stance also be applied to Utah sports betting? If not now, of course, then down the road?

Just a few months ago, the answer would have been “no.” Since then, not only have we seen SB 156 appear on the table, there is interest in forming a Utah State Lottery.

A bill to legalize a state lottery appeared on the agenda during last year’s session. Ultimately, it was unsuccessful. But there is a plan to bring it back—in some form. As Ben Winslow of FOX 13 in Salt Lake City reports:

“If Rep. Kera Birkeland has her way? Utah voters would consider [a state lottery] in 2026. She confirmed to FOX 13 News on Monday that she is reintroducing a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize the lottery in Utah. Rep. Birkeland argues that Utahns spend at least $200 million a year outside the state on lottery tickets. That's money that could be used inside Utah, lowering taxes. The proposed legislation would also legalize charity raffles (something that is technically illegal, but happens all the time). ‘What I'm trying to do is just capture the existing behavior of people who will drive across the state line to buy those tickets,” Rep. Birkeland, R-Mountain Green, said.”

We must obviously see how this proposal and SB 156 play out. But progress isn’t linear. These initiatives do not necessarily need to be a rousing success. That they exist at all is the point. If nothing else, they prove that Utah is at least thinking about loosening their view on gambling.

What Does Any of This Mean for Utah Sports Gambling?

Tying this back to Utah sports betting is not difficult. Nor is it a stretch.

Indeed, neither the lottery proposal nor SB 156 addresses online sports betting in the United States in any way. But the matters are related. Because if Utah officials have horse race betting on the brain, sports betting is just a stone’s throw away. Granted, the effect is more powerful if SB 156 gets the stamp of approval. But it forces a conversation adjacent to Utah sports betting even if it doesn’t.

It is also good for supporters of sports gambling if a state lottery receives approval. Once more, it signals acceptance of a sports betting-adjacent industry. More importantly, though, it also creates a regulatory infrastructure that, in many other states, is responsible for the supervision of sports betting.

These are all bread crumbs. And this is outright speculation. But if Utah gets a state lottery or voters warm up to SB 156, legalized sports betting could arrive in the not-too-distant future.

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: