Online Gambling Operator Faces Fifteen Years in Utah

Utah authorities have charged the owner of an Internet cafe with running an illegal gambling operation, potentially putting behind bars for many years.

A man accused by Slat Lake City police of running an online gambling business from his Internet cafe may end up with a prison term as long as fifteen years. Frank Musil, 51, was charged today with possessing a gambling device, four counts of gambling, and following a pattern of unlawful activity.

In November of last year, authorities raided the Fast Action Internet Cafe. Undercover officers had gone in, found bingo-based games on the computer screens, and bought and cashed credits on the machines.

Fourteen people were found to be gambling when the raid was conducted.

Utah's anti-gambling stance is among the nation's strongest; it and Hawaii are the only two US states with no legal form of gambling whatsoever.

The state's avoidance to gambling is so severe, a regulation was installed allowing fines for mass trasportation customers whose computers display online gambling sites.

Musil would face far less jail time under a manslaughter conviction than the gambling charges he is facing. Observers say Utah lawmakeres realize they need extra stiff penalties to curb the popular will to gamble.