Utah presents an interesting juxtaposition, given the state's high percentage of actively anti-gambling residents and its proximity to the wagering heaven of Las Vegas. The law is very strict on gambling in Utah, and those in the state certainly don't have as much freedom as bettors in other parts of the United States.

Utah joins Hawaii as American states that for all intents and purposes ban every type of gambling, making it one of the worst locations to live if you're looking to freely wager. Utah doesn't even permit the parimutuel horse racing and dog track betting that some strict states do, nor the tribal gambling laws that allow Native American communities to develop casino resorts on their lands.

The list of technically illegal gambling activities includes casinos, poker, horse and dog betting, lotteries and bingo, charitable gambling and social betting. The stance of the Utah authorities is evident via the fact they don't even permit charitable and social gambling—two forms of betting that are often embraced even by states that lean tough on betting laws.

In essence, the real issue for gamblers in Utah is the lack of availability—but at least the border states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming offer potential for gambling adventures.

As you'd expect from a state that has had a strong anti-gambling stance for a very long time, the timeline of gambling legislation in Utah has always been something of a losing battle for bettors.