Gambling Laws In Vermont
There are a few federal laws which affect gambling across the entire nation. The laws primarily bring an end to the business of unlawful gaming or facilitating bets for profit on American soil. These laws were intended to topple corruption through organized crime however were meant to leave the casual and recreational bettor at peace. It is only the conduction of a gambling operation which is illegal, not the simple act of making a wager.
While this means that on a federal level, people are allowed to gamble for personal winnings, there is much room left over for each state to impose its own gambling restrictions or allowances. Vermont is one of many states which has expounded upon the federal laws to create their own as this page hope to stand as a guide to those wishing to understand the Vermont gambling laws as well as aide anyone who wishes to gamble safely and legally in accordance to those laws.
Gambling is defined in the Vermont state constitution as "Winning or losing money or another valuable thing by play or hazard at any game" and is not permitted unless otherwise authorized in certain instances. The penalty for this is a fine not more than $200 nor less than $10 although there is not much to say in regards to private or social gambling and there are no records of arrests made of small stakes wagers made among friends for no profit. On the other hand, if one were to set up, promote or aide gambling in any way, they'd be risking serious legal trouble. This would be in the realm of the business of gambling and land an unlucky Vermont resident who chose to do so in prison for up to a year along with a $10,000 fine. This seems to follow suit with federal laws already in place which explicitly forbid the facilitation of bets for profit.
Vermont also has strict restrictions on keeping a gambling house or using gambling instruments. The Vermont gambling regulations are broad enough to mean any place where there is gambling and anything as small as a pen to record bets as an instrument. These small provisions are why we say that gambling in Vermont is not permitted in any way outside of a licensed facility. In fact, repeat offenders of any of these laws could spell some of the biggest fines in the country at a whopping $100,000. Vermont may be lenient at first but if you are caught again, the penalty will be severe.
Despite all of these anti-gambling stances which the Green Mountain State takes, there are still legal and regulated forms of gambling in Vermont. The state hosts a small lottery as well as allows non-profit organizations to host gambling events such as poker or bingo for a charitable cause. These non-profits must seek proper licensure in order to do so, however. Residents in Vermont wishing to gamble outside of these means may want to either take a trip outside of the state, keep a quiet home bet out of view or log on to a legal online gambling site.
Land-Based Gambling In Vermont
If you are in Vermont and wanting to spend an evening out placing bets and making wagers, unfortunately, you will have to hop in the car and drive to a neighboring state which has gambling facilities as Vermont does not have one state licensed venue. There are no pari-mutuel betting racetracks, no slots, no electronic games, no poker rooms and no Native American tribal casinos which exist on the outside of state laws. There is only the humble Vermont state lottery which is one of the smallest in the country due to Vermont's very small population. Residents in the Green Mountain State may be able to find a charitable raffle, bingo or poker game if they look hard enough but these events are sparse at best. The Abenaki Indian tribe is in the process of applying for acquiring land and will likely seek a gambling compact with the state if and when that happens but for now, the only wagers made in the region will have to remain behind closed doors among hushed company.
Online Gambling In Vermont
Finally, a bit of good news for residents of Vermont who wish to partake in a bit of legal gambling: the state constitution makes no mention of internet gambling and the lack of any reference allows those in the Green Mountain State to fall back on what federal laws have to say on the matter. What those national laws say is that anyone in the country has the ability to lawfully place a bet without worry or concern so long as they are not for profit from the business of gambling. It is only the venues which facilitate such bets which are not allowed to operate on U.S. soil, so the solution is simply to find an online gambling site which is not based in the United States.
There are a vast amount of online gambling sites that take Vermont players based all over the globe and some of them are even closer than one might think. Online gambling sites are as close by as Canada and have been in business for decades specifically catering to the betting desires of Americans. These businesses are safe, secure, reliable and available to all as they remain completely legal to visit and outside of both U.S. and state jurisdictions. What's more is that these sites are able to offer every major form of gambling that is available under the Sun due to their locations and Vermont residents are able to legally partake in classic casino games, online poker games and even sports betting.
Popular Gambling Options In Vermont:
Online Sportsbooks - Online Casinos - Online Poker
One such site that has been in the service of American bettors for decades is located just two hours to the north in Montreal, Quebec. Bovada initially began as the American web-site ‘Bodog' and has remained popular despite having to move to Canada after changing federal laws prevented them from continuing facilitating bets from within U.S. territory. They have and continue to offer every form of wagering imaginable and are available for use by Vermont residents in every corner of the state. Whether looking for traditional casino games, like blackjack or baccarat, or the latest trends of Texas Hold'em, Bovada offers both high and low stakes betting opportunities for casual and expert player alike to take advantage of.
One of the most prominent features of this online gambling site is their sportsbook which holds high marks all across the world. Reputable publications such as USA Today, CBS Sports and ESPN cite their lines and odds in all of their sports reporting even over sources in Las Vegas. One can bet on any sport in the galaxy and on any league, team or player either here in the United State or anywhere across the globe. New users will find even more to get excited about once signing up to become a member. New members have their first deposit instantly raised by 100% which can be as much as $250 to bet on anything that the sportsbook has to offer. Big wins for Vermont residents are only a few clicks away with just one smart bet. Bovada stands easily as our top recommended online gambling site for anyone in the Green Mountain State.
| Best Overall Betting Sites | Sports? | Casino? | Poker? | Horses? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| BetOnline | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| SportsBetting | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
As always, we recommend that readers pay attention to the gambling laws in Vermont and other regulations because that is where they will find the legal age to make a wager. As of this writing, the general age to gamble in the state of Vermont is set at 18 years of age or older. Any legal aged adult in the Green Mountain State is free to visit, and wager with one of our recommended online gambling sites with the confidence of knowing their account will not be suspended.
Best For All Gaming Types
