Utah Rep. Joseph Elison submitted legislation set to reach Capitol Hill later in January that would tighten the state's already strict gambling laws by explicitly classifying proposition bets as illegal gambling, he told ABC4.
Key Takeaways
- Rep. Joseph Elison prepared a bill to explicitly define proposition bets as gambling under Utah law, making them illegal.
- The proposal targets prop wagers on events within athletic contests, including individual player performance outcomes.
- Elison said some platforms may be enabling Utah users to place wagers despite geolocation blocks used by major sportsbooks.
The bill proposes amendments to Utah's criminal code, which already bans gambling, clarifying that any proposition wager falls within the statutory definition of unlawful activity, including bets placed during an athletic event.
Elison said the bill aims to remove any ambiguity that may have allowed certain betting products to operate in a legal gray area despite the longstanding prohibition on sports wagering.
Utah law already prohibits residents from placing sports bets within state lines, with licensed sportsbooks using geolocation technology to block users physically located in the state. Elison acknowledged that some bettors attempt to bypass those restrictions by using virtual private networks, though he said that method does not allow access to major regulated sportsbooks.
He stated he personally tested a DraftKings account and was unable to place any wagers. The legislation was prompted by reports that certain platforms may be allowing Utah residents to place wagers without using VPNs. Elison said those alleged workarounds formed the focus of the bill, which sought to ensure any form of betting resembling traditional sports wagering would clearly fall under Utah's gambling ban.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google accountElison also discussed prediction markets such as Kashi, which started including sports contracts last year. He admitted that, because the CFTC regulates prediction markets, there’s "really nothing" that can be done at the state level, though some states, such as Nevada, are trying to change that.
NFL reinforces internal limits on prop bets
The concerns underpinning the proposed clarification in Utah represent a broader debate playing out at the national level. In professional sports, leagues are continuing to consider how narrowly defined prop bets intersect with integrity issues.
The NFL circulated a memo to its teams in November, reminding them of the league's long-standing efforts to restrict certain types of prop bets tied to games.
The letter emphasized the NFL has worked directly with policymakers and sportsbook partners to limit, and in some cases prohibit entirely, specific proposition wagers. While the league acknowledged that not all prop bets had been eliminated, officials framed the restrictions as a preventative measure designed to avoid controversies that had recently affected other major leagues.
According to the memo, the NFL has consistently banned wagers that fall into four categories: those considered inherently objectionable, bets related to officiating, wagers that a single individual could determine in a single play, and bets that were effectively predetermined.
League officials highlighted the final two categories as particularly problematic, citing recent incidents in other sports where narrowly focused prop bets had become entangled in criminal investigations.
