The Salt Lake City Police Department in Utah has confirmed that they have arrested a local business owner for illegal gambling activities.
Ryan Jovon Delahuerta, who owns the business “My PodZzz,” a local internet café, was arrested for his involvement in the scheme. Delahuerta was arrested on misdemeanor charges of gambling promotion, possession of a gambling device, fringe gaming devices, and “gambling or allowing gambling.”
Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said that a special investigative unit has been investigating the business in the Ballpark neighborhood. Brown described the business as an alleged criminal enterprise operating under the guise of a legitimate business.
The investigation led to arrests after undercover officers entered the business posing as customers. Two officers then put money into a “fish game”; however, the game was a type of gambling not authorized by the state. A total of 28 people inside the café were shortly detained, and all but one were soon released.
Police officers seized the gaming machines and also discovered more than $56k in cash, firearms, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Upon investigation, detectives said that proceeds from the illegal gambling operation were funneled into Urban Pawn in Murry, which Delahuerta also owns.
Utah Gambling Laws
Utah is one of the two US states that have banned all in-person gambling, along with Hawaii. However, online Utah casinos have been accepting players for the past decade. These online casinos are only allowed to accept players since they are physically located outside the state, and no local laws forbid their operation. For most Utah players, online casinos are the best option as the closest physical casinos are a state over in Nevada.
Online Gambling Options For Utah Players
The USA gambling sites we review all offer online casino games; however, some sites also offer sports betting, poker, bingo, and horse racing wagers. Online players can take advantage of these sites’ all-in-one features and gamble on their desired game. To make gambling faster and more convenient, the sites we recommend all feature mobile capabilities.
Popular online casino options often include blackjack gambling, roulette, video poker, baccarat, and live dealer games. Live table games are offered via a live video/audio feed; however, only a few sites offer this feature. Live dealer games often require more significant buy-ins, but the experience is worth the extra change for some players.