The Vermont Senate moved a legal sports betting bill one step closer to Gov. Phil Scott’s desk Thursday morning, when it approved H 127 by a voice vote. Because the bill originated in the House, it must now go back to that chamber for concurrence and then on to Scott. Should he sign it, the state will become the second in 2023 to legalize. Vermont’s legislative session is scheduled to adjourn May 12.
The bill allows for digital wagering only with a maximum of six platforms in the second smallest state in the U.S.
The expectation is that Scott will sign the bill, which is a heavily amended version of the original proposal. Once the legislature transmits the bill, Scott will have five days, excluding Sundays, to sign or veto the bill. If he does neither, the bill becomes law without his signature after five days.
Vermont is the final New England state to legalize and the only one to do so in a digital-only format. All five other states in the region offer both retail and digital wagering, which means that any Vermonter who wants to watch a game in a sportsbook and bet will still have to drive across the border to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or New York.