Vermont to go for Sports Betting in 2023

The northeast state of Vermont in the US has released a report by nine lawmakers and state officials into the prospect of sports betting taking place in the state. In the conclusion the report finds in favour of legalising sports betting and the benefits far outweigh the potential dangers the report finds.

If legalising sports betting as the report favours it would be regulated and controlled by the Department of Liquor and Lottery. Currently residents of the state which totals on some 650,000 bet illegally the report says and by legalising the activity would offer safety against unregulated sports betting companies.

It recommends that both retail and mobile sports betting, but to start with mobile and see the reaction before offering retail sports betting. Now legal in 31 states Vermont have tried back in 2020 to pass legislation but found the Senate not that keen, however the governor Phil Scott is a supporter of sports betting being legalised and even tried to put sports betting revenues in his 2020 budget.

In a local interview reporters asked the governor if Vermont was behind the times now in catching up with tax revenues from the activity and replied by saying, “I don’t know if we’re behind the times, because everyone catches up eventually.”

“It was the same for cannabis. We heard the same argument there,” he continued. “But it all levels out eventually. We just want to make sure that we offer it to Vermonters and those who are coming to visit Vermont so they can do so legally.”

2023 could see Vermont try again to get legislation through lawmakers especially now with incoming Senate President Phil Baruth with him saying to reporters last week, “The Senate has a history of supporting the creation of a legal framework for sports betting in Vermont,” He went on to say. “A regulated market would provide consumer protection in a way the illicit market currently does not. We are encouraged that the committee came to a consensus on recommendations for a path forward and we look forward to continuing discussions in the coming biennium.”