In January 2020, Senators Dick Sears and Michael Sirotkin filed bill S.213, which is the latest attempt for Vermont to legalize sports betting. This is the first action the state has taken since bill H.484 was filed in March last year.
While last year’s effort was for a full in-person/mobile wagering program, the fact that Vermont does not have any casinos or commercial gambling infrastructure (other than a state lottery) makes finding suitable places for in-person sports wagering difficult.
That’s why the new bill is promoting exclusively online sports wagering, available on anything except high school sports (or sports events where the majority of participants are under 18 years old). Virginia and Tennessee executed similar strategies for launching sports betting in those states.
The industry is currently undergoing a study, which will guide government’s decisions. With Covid-19 still restricting many efforts, its likely 2021 is the opportunity for Vermont sports betting legalization efforts to move ahead.
Is sports betting legal in Vermont?
No. A bill was introduced last year with little traction created, but a new bill was introduced in January, which seems much more likely to push through legislation and get Vermont on the board, in terms of offering legalized sports betting.
Where can I bet at Vermont sportsbooks?
It is too early to tell which major sportsbooks would be active in Vermont, but S.213 says there is no limit on the licenses/skins for online sports brands, it seems it will open for anyone to join. The bill shows a 10% tax sports wagers, as well as a 10% tax on daily fantasy sports, so that will remain an option as well, and all of it would be strictly online.
What about mobile sports betting apps in Vermont?
As Vermont does not currently have any casinos or commercial gambling of any type, along with the fact that S.213 is permitting only online sports betting, any sportsbook wanting a piece of the action in Vermont would need to do so through a mobile app.