Vermont’s Senate Finance Committee passed an amended legal sports betting bill on Tuesday, sending it to the Senate floor for full consideration.
The bill cleared the House on March 24 and was approved by the Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee on April 13. Should the legislation pass the Senate and Gov. Phil Scott ultimately sign it into law, Vermont would be the second state this year to legalize sports betting after Kentucky, which authorized wagering on March 31. Vermont would also become the last of the New England states to legalize sports betting.
Vermont’s bill would allow only for statewide mobile wagering and no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. Tennessee was the first state to approve sports betting on a digital-only basis when it did so in 2019, and Wyoming followed suit in 2021. Vermont’s proposal allows for a minimum of two platforms and a maximum of six, and it makes the Department of Liquor and Lottery the regulator.
Committee members, who met three times before moving legislation forward, were very focused on consumer protections, responsible gambling, and fees. The committee amended the bill to alter the fee structure in hopes of having it better reflect the cost to regulate sports betting. The amendment also includes a section that would allow the state of Vermont to collect taxes on wagering winnings by non-Vermont residents.