Gov. Phil Scott signed House Bill 127, a bill that legalizes online sports betting in Vermont, into law on June 14, 2023. While there are still some details to hash out like the number of operators and launch dates, the final legal hurdles have been cleared on the path to Vermont sports betting.
We expect legal sports betting to launch in Vermont sometime in early 2024.
Vermont Sports Betting Timeline
Here’s a timeline of events that have led us to this point:
June 14, 2023
Gov. Phil Scott signs House Bill 127 into law, legalizing sports betting in Vermont. This paves the way for the Department of Liquor and Lottery to set up sports gambling in accordance with the details of the bill. Whether or not Vermont sportsbook promos will be available will depend on the rules set in place (we expect them to be).
May 2023
House Bill 127 is approved by the Senate with a few amendments, and Governor Phil Scott expresses his support for the bill.
March 2023
House Bill 127 passes the House and will be heard in the Senate.
February 2023
House Bill 127 passes its first committee by an overwhelming 9-3 vote. The bill would grant licenses to two to six online sportsbooks in the state, including Vermont betting apps, but it has three additional committees to pass before being heard by the state House.
October 2021
The study mandated in House Bill 313 is completed, including information on potential revenue from taxation on the sports betting industry in Vermont.
June 2021
House Bill 313 is passed. This act amends some alcoholic beverage laws, but also includes a clause that requires an official study on sports betting and its potential impacts and revenue if legalized in Vermont.
2019
House Bill 494 is introduced in Vermont as the state’s first formal attempt at legalizing online sports betting. It doesn’t gain much traction and is only read once.
May 2018
The supreme court votes to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which opens the door to individual U.S. states to legalize and regulate sports betting markets.
