Utah Lawmaker Wants to Bring a Lottery to Counties Bordering Other States

As of August 2024, Utah doesn’t offer any form of gambling, but Rep. Kera Birkeland’s legislation for a constitutional amendment could change that if it is passed. 

She’s planning to introduce the potential amendment in 2025. If this passes, voters will get to decide in 2026. 

A Lottery Would Stop Border-Crossing Gambling

With no methods of gambling in Utah, many may worry about the responsible gaming aspect of things. Still, Birkeland’s main argument is that there are players crossing the border into other states and gambling on the lottery. By legalizing it in the state, Utah would benefit from the revenue. 

“There’s still those saying that this is, you know, really going to decay morally our state, and to them, I just hope that this compromise is showing we’re not again changing behaviors; we’re just capturing those same behaviors within our state limits,” Birkeland said to Fox 13 Salt Lake City. 

Any Gambling Expansion Faces Opposition

As mentioned, Utah doesn’t have gambling. In fact, it’s one of five states without a lottery, and there’s no casino or sports betting. 

Birkeland proposed this idea last year. The House gave support, but the Senate didn’t. As for Governor Spencer Cox, he wasn’t sure. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also gave pushback. 

In 2019 and 2021, there were bills to legal horse betting and skill games respectively, but neither passed. 

If Passed, A Lottery Could Generate Millions in Revenue

According to Birkeland, the state loses hundreds of millions per year because people are crossing into other states. This amendment will bring in state revenue and reduce taxes. 

Within the bill, Birkeland is also proposing the legalization of charity raffles. 

“I’ve ran a number of bills that try to cap property taxes and try to reduce government spending, and none of them ever go anywhere. And so, for my colleagues, for individuals who are opposed to the lottery, where the revenue would reduce property taxes, I’d say, ‘Then what?’” Birkeland said.