Is sports betting legal in Vermont?

What the law allows

Vermont legalized sports betting with Act 63 of 2023, which took effect on 14 June 2023 and sits in Title 31, chapter 25 of the state's statutes. The first bets went in at midnight on 11 January 2024, when the Department of Liquor and Lottery opened mobile wagering with three books picked through a bid.

The model is unusual. The state doesn't hand out licenses to anyone who qualifies; the law tells the Commissioner to pick between two and six operators through a competitive bid, and every bet runs through a mobile or internet platform. The Department of Liquor and Lottery runs it and the Board of Liquor and Lottery sets the procedures. I'd check the department's page for which books hold a contract today rather than trust a list, because the bid process means the names can change.

You have to be 21. The statute counts anyone under 21 as a prohibited bettor and makes the book block them.

What it means for a bettor in Vermont

The law says a mobile bet must be placed and received within Vermont, so the app will check where you are before it takes your money. Cross into New Hampshire or New York and the Vermont book stops writing your bets.

College betting has limits. You can't bet on a college team primarily located in Vermont, except in certain tournaments the law carves out, and you can't bet on any high school or college game played in Vermont. The department also says you can't fund an account with a credit card, which I think is a sensible rule (a player betting on borrowed money is a player the book is happy to see).

Winnings are taxable income; the IRS says so plainly, and that holds whether you win at a licensed book or anywhere else.

Where the offshore books fit

Offshore sportsbooks are not licensed by Vermont, and the state has no hold over them. If a Vermont-contracted book slow pays you, the department takes player complaints and can act on them. With an offshore book you have the book's word and nothing behind it. I'd want to know that before I put money anywhere. Our offshore sportsbooks section explains how those books work, and the VPN question covers why hiding your location tends to end badly.

If betting stops being fun, the department lists the Vermont Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700, and our responsible gambling page covers the rest.

*Checked against Vermont Statutes, Title 31, chapter 25 on 28 October 2026. Laws change; this page is re-checked every quarter. This is not legal advice.*