Currently, there is no legalized sports betting in Vermont. However, there was a study bill put forward in the 2020 legislature that could well eventually lead to legal sports betting in the Green Mountain State.
Sports betting bill, S 59 was submitted by Sen Michael Sirotkin. This would lead to the creation of the Sports Betting Study Committee. This has now been approved by the Senate and has gone to the house. This committee would study different sports betting models to decide which would work the best for Vermont.
The Vermont legislature was then suspended over the summer of 2020 due to the Pandemic but reconvened in August for a month. However, even up until now, nothing has moved very far forward which has been disappointing.
The Future of Vermont Sports Betting
Whether or not sports betting in Vermont becomes legal very much depends on the outcome of the study that was put forward by the legislature. Given that the Northeast of the US is leading the way in terms of legalizing sports betting – what with neighbours New Hampshire and Rhode Island already operating retail and online sports betting sites as well as mobile sports betting apps.
The bill put forward, sports betting bill S 59, would include the following:
- Studies, laws and regulations in neighboring states regarding taxation, legalization and regulation of retail and online sports betting.
- It would look at potential retail or online sports betting models that would best suit Vermont – with the advantages and disadvantages of each
- Any possible limitations or restrictions on sports wagers – including the rules on college football and basketball betting and other NCAA events.
- The potential impact of sports betting on different demographic and socioeconomic groups.
Ultimately, before they legalize sports betting, they want to make sure that they are in the best possible place.
Will Online Sports Betting Ever Launch in Vermont?
At this moment in time, it isn’t clear whether or not the legalization of sports betting in Vermont would include online sports betting and online wagering.
Right now though, apart from the Vermont Lottery, the only legal form of gambling in the state is charitable gaming such as bingo and casino nights, all non-profit.
So, unless the Vermont Lottery is intending to regulate and take control of the sports betting industry and offer sports betting via its retail locations then there will probably be online sports betting in Vermont. It looks likely that the Vermont market would look similar to that of Virginia or Tennessee – both of which are online sports betting states only with no casino or retail locations.
There are some online sports betting sites that claim they can legally take bets from residents of Vermont – and from all residents of the US. However, this is not true as these will not be licensed within the US today. Since they are not operating legally in the US, as a customer you would have no legal rights if a problem should occur.
So, if the offshore sportsbooks decided not to pay out your winning bet – or clause their site without returning your money, then there would be no way to get your money back. So, legalizing sports betting would eliminate the risk of customers heading over to illegal sports betting sites.
Legal Gambling Options in Vermont
As of now, there aren’t any legal gambling options in the state. The only way to legally make a bet would be by heading over the border to New York casinos or heading over to New Hampshire.
If Vermont does opt to legalize sports betting after looking at how it works in other states, then it will likely look similar to that of others within the US. This would likely mean standard bet types as well as possible restrictions on college and amateur sports events.
It is possible that Vermont might ban bettors from placing wagers on in-state college teams and events. Because most US regions will only allow bets on Division I colleges, it seems likely that Vermont might block wagers on the University of Vermont Catamounts.
Most Popular Sports to Bet on in Vermont
Vermont State does not have any professional sports teams. However, because of where the state is situated, there are a couple of possible teams that residents will follow and bet on.
Because Vermont is part of the New England region, one possibility is NFL betting on the New England Patriots. This would likely attract the most bets. However, whether it would still garner the same support as it did when Quarterback Tom Brady was part of the team is questionable. Even so, it is likely that a decent percentage of the state’s sports betting handle would go to the Patriots.
Another popular sport in Vermont is Hockey and there are two nearby betting options – the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. So, should sports betting be legalized, NHL betting would also probably attract punters.
What Other Sports Can You Bet On in Vermont?
Aside from NFL betting and NHL betting, future Vermont sports betting sites would also offer plenty of other betting options. We would expect to see a good selection of pre-game find live betting markets for sports including:
- NBA betting and other basketball events
- MLB betting
- MLS and other Soccer events
- Horse racing
- Golf
- UFC
- Rugby
- Darts
- Motorsports
- Tennis and more
For all of these, you will be able to make your bets on a host of different US and international events, tournaments and competitions.
Gambling Tax in Vermont
One big factor they will take into consideration is the tax revenue it would generate. Because sports betting in Vermont isn’t legal, there have been no set rules on gambling revenue and taxation. Having said that, charities are allowed to organize lotteries and other gambling events – and winnings in these instances are taxable.
Any prize valued at under $600 will not be subject to tax. Winnings between $600 and $5,000 will be subject to 28% in Federal taxes and 6.72% in State taxes. Meanwhile, wins of over $5,000 will be subject to a minimum of 24% in Federal taxes plus 6% in state tax.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Vermont
Daily fantasy sports betting is actually officially legal in Vermont, unlike many other states. The DFS bill was passed in 2017 and it allows sports fans to enter daily fantasy sports contests at major operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings.
This was required after former Attorney General William Sorrell’s office stated that DFS contests go against the Vermont gambling laws. Although he, himself, never officially released his own opinion, it was his assistant Attorney General, John Treadwell, that announced their stance on the legality of DFS.
Legal Horse Racing in Vermont?
Although horse racing is officially legal in Vermont, there aren’t any licensed tracks that offer racing. Moreover, horse racing betting is legal, so anyone living in Vermont can make bets on horse racing betting apps such as TwinSpires and TVG.
Vermont Sports Betting Timeline
UP until 2022, although several attempts have been made and although it still hasn’t been ruled out, sports betting hasn’t passed the line.
2018
The US Supreme Court overruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act allowing each state to choose whether or not it would legalize sports betting.
2019
Rep. Thomas Burditt introduced H 484 which would have legalized both online and retail sports betting, regulated by the Board of Liquor and Lottery.
However, the Bill never got anywhere – it was read one time in a House committee and was never heard of again.
2020
This year saw two sports betting bills in action, with only one sports betting bill making it past the first step.
In January, Sen. Dick Spears and Sirotkin filed S 213 which would legalize mobile-only sports betting. This bill would have taxed gambling revenue at 10%. In addition, DFS revenue would also be taxed at 10% instead of the current $5,000 yearly fee.
However, this bill faltered after its first reading in the Senate committee.
Sirotkin’s bill, S 59, was originally introduced in 2019 but didn’t get anywhere. It was revived again in March but has not gotten any further to date.
Esports Betting in Vermont
Vermont sports bettors are increasingly turning their attention to eSports. As such, although it is not possible right now, when sports betting in Vermont is legalized, it is likely you will be able to bet on top games such as Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Dota 2, Rainbow Six and more.
Different Types of Betting Markets
When legalized, Vermont sportsbooks will offer a host of traditional and special sports betting markets. Here are some of the most popular markets we would expect to see…
Moneyline Bets
This is the easiest of all the bets. You simply need to choose who you think will win the game. Sometimes these are three-way Moneyline bets, where you can either choose a winner or bet on a tie.
Over/Under – Totals
With this type of bet, the sports betting site will pick a number for a certain statistic (such as the number of points or goals scored) and you need to guess whether or not the actual result will be higher or lower than the line set by the bookmaker.
Point Spreads
This will likely be very popular in Vermont sports betting sites. To win this type of wager, you need to predict whether the team you support will score within the spread rather than just win the game. This allows you to win a bet even if your team loses.
Proposition (Props) Bets
Proposition bets (often referred to as props bets) are those markets that aren’t related directly to the overall result of the game. It means simply betting on a game event such as which player or team is the first to score.
Parlay
A parlay bet is one that combines multiple bets and puts them together in one big bet. This has the potential for an even bigger payout. To win the parlay bet, all of your predictions need to come in.
Futures
This is betting on the outcome of a whole tournament, such as the NFL Super Bowl winner or NBA Champions 2022.
Vermont Sports Betting FAQ
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Vermont?
No, right now there is no sports betting at all in Vermont – retail or online sportsbooks. Although this may change in the future and the state is still discussing legalizing online sports betting, for now, it is still not legal.
Where Can I Bet on Sports in Vermont?
There is nowhere in the state of Vermont that you can legally bet on sports – online or retail. The closest place that would allow legal sports betting is in either Rhode Island or New Hampshire.
Can I Make Bets on My Phone in Vermont?
No, mobile betting in the state of Vermont is not legal as the law authorizing it has not yet been passed. There are some online websites that claim to accept bets from within Vermont and the entire US. However, these offshore sportsbooks have not been licensed within the US, which means that there is no customer protection for US punters.
As such, if an offshore sports betting site decides not to pay out your winning sports bets – or close down their site without returning your funds then as a US bettor, you would have absolutely no legal recourse to get your money back.
