Vermont Online Gambling
Legal Vermont online gambling options remain limited due to the state’s historically strict gambling laws. Online sports betting and daily fantasy sports contests are expressly legal, but most other forms of gambling are either illegal or unregulated.
Vermont law prohibits online casinos and poker sites. However, residents can access certain alternative platforms that operate in legal gray areas.
Sweepstakes casinos are available in Vermont, although their legality is contested in numerous states. Online horse racing betting apps likewise serve residents under multi-state licenses, since Vermont itself does not regulate online racebooks.
Continue below for a comprehensive overview of the Vermont online gambling landscape. This page details where each type of online gambling stands in Vermont, who regulates it, and how to gamble responsibly.
Legal Vermont Gambling Sites
21+ and present in VT. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Vermont Online Gambling Overview
| Type of Gambling (minimum age to play) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under 13 V.S.A. § 2141 |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | “No purchase necessary” models rely on 13 V.S.A. §2143b; not state-licensed. |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under 13 V.S.A. § 2133 |
| Online Sports Betting (21+) | Legal/Regulated | Authorized under 31 V.S.A. Chapter 25 |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (18+) | Legal/Regulated | Legalized in 2017; regulated under 31 V.S.A. Chapter 25 |
| Fantasy Pick’em Contests (18+) | Legal/Regulated | Not specifically addressed in VT law. Some operators offer limited pick’em games in VT, others self-restrict due to legal ambiguity |
| Online Lottery Sales (n/a) | Illegal | The Vermont Lottery does not sell tickets online; third-party couriers are not active. |
| Online Horse Racing (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Advance deposit wagering not explicitly addressed by law but widely available |
Vermont Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in Vermont.
State law prohibits operating or participating in casino-style gambling online. Vermont statute 13 V.S.A. § 2133 makes it unlawful for “a person who plays at cards, dice, tables or other game for money or other valuable in a common gaming or gambling house that is maintained for lucre and gain.”
The statute’s broad definition encompasses online casinos with slots, table games, and other similar games.
The prohibition reflects Vermont’s historically conservative stance on gambling. The state lacks commercial or tribal casinos, further limiting pathways to legalize and regulate online casinos for real money.
Violating the statute carries penalties of a fine up to $200, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both. However, enforcement historically targets operators rather than individual players. The Attorney General’s office has stated that gambling violations have “not been an enforcement priority” for state prosecutors.
Legalization Outlook
The prospect of legalizing online casinos in Vermont appears unlikely in the near term. Vermont’s 2023 sports betting legislation represented a narrow expansion focused solely on mobile sports wagering.
Governor Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law specifically because it was limited in scope and did not include casino gaming or other forms of gambling expansion.
Additionally, Vermont’s lack of existing land-based casino infrastructure means there are no established gaming operators with a vested interest in pushing for online casino legalization.
Between the state’s conservative gambling history and the absence of legislative momentum, online casinos remain a distant possibility.
Sweepstakes Casinos in Vermont
Sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area in Vermont.
Online sweeps casinos are neither explicitly authorized nor prohibited by state law. Vermont statute 13 V.S.A. § 2143b permits contests and sweepstakes that do not require payment to enter.
Sweepstakes casinos avoid classification as illegal gambling by implementing a “no purchase necessary” model that eliminates the element of consideration, one of three required elements (prize, chance, consideration) that define gambling under Vermont law.
Because these platforms operate without explicit state authorization, there is no regulatory oversight from Vermont agencies. Players have no access to state-mandated consumer protections, game fairness testing, or dispute resolution mechanisms that apply to regulated gambling activities.
Key Operators
Numerous established sweepstakes casino operators accept Vermont residents. Online sweepstakes sites offer extensive game libraries featuring slots, table games, and occasionally live dealer options. Popular platforms available in Vermont include:
Considerations for Players
Players should understand that sweepstakes casinos are unregulated in Vermont. No state agency provides oversight or consumer protection. If disputes arise regarding payouts, account access, or redemption of winnings, players have no state regulator to file complaints with.
Vermont authorities have not taken enforcement action against sweepstakes casinos, but this could change. Other states have challenged the sweepstakes model through Attorney General actions.
Vermont’s Attorney General could adopt a stricter interpretation of existing gambling laws if concerns arise about these platforms. Players assume all risks when using unregulated sweepstakes casinos.
Vermont Online Poker
Online poker is illegal in Vermont.
Vermont’s gambling statutes prohibit playing poker for money, whether online or in person. State law defines gambling broadly as risking anything of value on games where the outcome is “to any degree contingent on chance.” In short, the same laws that ban online casinos apply to poker sites.
Although skilled poker players understand that skill determines long-term results, the element of chance inherent in card distribution satisfies Vermont’s definition of gambling.
Playing online poker for real money constitutes a violation punishable by a fine of up to $200, imprisonment for up to 60 days, or both. As with other gambling offenses, enforcement typically focuses on operators rather than individual players.
Legalization Outlook
The outlook for legalizing online poker in Vermont remains poor over the short and medium term. Lawmakers have shown no interest in poker-specific legislation. The Attorney General’s office has historically opposed gambling expansion beyond charitable gaming and the state lottery.
The most realistic path to legal online poker would be through a comprehensive online gambling bill that includes casinos. However, even that scenario appears unlikely given Vermont’s conservative approach to gambling policy.
Until state law changes, Vermont residents interested in online poker have no legal domestic options. Sweepstakes poker sites remain the only alternative available within state borders.
Vermont Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is legal and regulated in Vermont.
Vermont authorized online sports wagering when Governor Phil Scott signed H. 127 into law in June 2023.
The bill established an online-only model, meaning there are no retail sportsbooks in Vermont. Additionally, the law directed the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery to select 2-6 operators through a competitive bidding process.
Key Operators
Following the bidding process, the Department of Liquor and Lottery approved three online sportsbook brands to operate in Vermont:
How Vermont Sports Betting Works
The Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery (DLL) is the primary regulatory body responsible for overseeing all aspects of online sports betting. Key rules and regulations that bettors must follow include:
- Minimum Age: Bettors must be 21+ to create accounts and place wagers.
- Restricted Deposit Methods: State law explicitly prohibits using credit cards to fund Vermont online sports betting accounts.
- College Sports Restrictions: State law prohibits placing bets on games involving in-state Vermont college teams, unless that team is participating in a postseason tournament like March Madness. Additionally, regulators have banned all proposition bets on the performance of individual college athletes.
In February 2025, just over a year after the market launched, a group of state legislators introduced H. 133. The bill proposed repealing the statutes that authorize both sports wagering and the state lottery, which would have made these activities illegal again.
One of the bill’s sponsors cited concerns that state-sanctioned gambling acts as a regressive tax that disproportionately harms low-income individuals. The bill made almost zero progress, but its introduction indicates that the political debate over gambling expansion in Vermont is far from over.
Vermont Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are legal and lightly regulated in Vermont.
Vermont first passed legislation to formally legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports contests in 2017 with bill S. 136. In 2023, lawmakers re-regulated DFS contests via several provisions added to the bill that authorized online sports betting.
Under the updated law, fantasy sports apps must register with the Department of Liquor and Lottery and adhere to a standard set of consumer protection measures.
How Vermont Regulates Fantasy Sports
Vermont’s approach to DFS is light-touch regulation. Fantasy sports operators must register annually with the Department of Liquor & Lottery and pay a $5,000 fee.
Fantasy sports operators must adhere to consumer protection requirements written into the law, but there is no dedicated DFS regulatory commission. Instead, the Vermont Attorney General has the authority to investigate violations of the DFS law and pursue civil penalties against operators if needed
In practice, as long as licensed operators comply with the statute’s provisions, Vermont doesn’t actively interfere with DFS operations. However, Vermont law does mandate annual independent audits of DFS operators to ensure compliance with the required safeguards.
Key rules for operators and players include:
- Minimum Age: Players must be 18+ to participate in paid fantasy contests.
- Operator Registration: All operators must register with the state and pay an annual registration fee of $5,000.
- Consumer Protections: Registered operators must comply with standard consumer protection rules, including segregating player funds from operational accounts, submitting to annual compliance audits, and providing prominent links to responsible gaming resources.
Fantasy Pick’em Contests in Vermont
Fantasy pick’em contests operate in Vermont with limited regulatory clarity.
Pick’em contests allow users to build lineups consisting of “more” or “less” predictions for individual athletes’ projected stat totals (e.g., “Will Player X throw for more or less than 250 yards?”).
Vermont’s DFS statutes do not directly address fantasy pick’em games, and the Attorney General has issued no advisory opinion on their legality. The state’s regulatory inaction has become a market-shaping force in itself, compelling each operator to conduct its own legal risk analysis
As a result, some fantasy pick’em apps have exited Vermont, and others have altered their game types in an effort to avoid potential legal issues.
The two most prominent fantasy pick’em apps available in Vermont include:
- PrizePicks
- Underdog Fantasy
Vermont Online Lottery Sales
Online lottery sales are illegal in Vermont.
Officials have not authorized the Vermont Lottery to conduct iLottery sales, and there are no active plans to do so.
As a result, there are currently no legal options for Vermont residents to buy lottery tickets online through an official website or mobile app.
Furthermore, third-party lottery courier services such as Jackpocket and TheLotter, which operate in some states by purchasing official tickets from licensed retailers on behalf of online customers, are not available in Vermont.
Vermont Online Horse Racing Betting
Online horse racing betting is legal but unregulated in Vermont.
The legal status of online horse racing betting in Vermont is uncertain due to contradictory statutes and a lack of specific regulation.
The state has no live horse racing tracks, with the last venue having closed decades ago. State law under 13 V.S.A. § 2153 explicitly prohibits any person from holding, conducting, or operating a pari-mutuel horse race for public exhibition.
Vermont law does not explicitly address online horse racing betting through advance deposit wagering platforms (ADWs). The state neither authorizes nor prohibits ADW, creating a permissive legal environment where major ADW operators licensed in other states accept Vermont residents.
Despite the absence of state regulation, Vermont residents have access to multiple licensed ADW platforms that operate under federal Interstate Horseracing Act provisions. These platforms hold licenses from other states and racing jurisdictions.
The two most popular online racebooks available in Vermont include:
Vermont Gambling Regulators
Two state agencies share responsibility for regulating legal gambling activities in Vermont:
- Department of Liquor & Lottery (DLL): Regulates online sports wagering; oversees the Vermont Lottery; runs licensing, compliance, technical standards, and enforcement.
- Vermont Attorney General: Receives annual independent audit reports from DFS operators and enforces fantasy sports consumer protections.
Responsible Gambling Resources in Vermont
Vermont provides numerous resources for individuals seeking help with gambling-related problems. The state launched VTGamblingHelp.org in July 2024 as a comprehensive problem gambling resource following the January 2024 sports betting launch.
The Vermont Department of Mental Health has estimated that approximately 11,600 Vermont residents (2% of the adult population) struggle with gambling disorders.
Licensed sports betting operators must submit annual responsible gaming plans to the Department of Liquor and Lottery detailing problem gambling resources, self-exclusion programs, house-imposed player limits, and materials posted about problem gambling.
All licensed betting sites in Vermont provide responsible gambling tools directly through their apps, including deposit limits, time limits, and cooling-off periods.
Self-Exclusion and Responsible Gambling Tools
- DLL Sports Betting Self-Exclusion Program: Vermont maintains a statewide voluntary self-exclusion program for online sports betting administered by the Department of Liquor and Lottery. Individuals can enroll remotely and select exclusion periods of one, three, five years, or lifetime.
- Daily Fantasy Sports Self-Exclusion: The DLL does not maintain a central self-exclusion registry for daily fantasy sports. Players must contact each DFS operator individually to request self-exclusion.
- In-App Self-Exclusion Tools: All licensed sports betting apps and DFS platforms offer self-exclusion and temporary cooling-off periods directly through their responsible gambling settings.
Responsible Gambling Organizations
- VT Gambling Help Hotline: Vermont’s official problem gambling helpline provides 24/7 confidential support, live chat, treatment referrals, and resources. Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER or chat online.
- NCPG Vermont: The NCPG maintains a 24/7 confidential helpline for crisis support and referrals to local treatment resources. Call: 1-800-522-4700. Text: 800GAM.
- Gamblers Anonymous VT: A peer-support fellowship for individuals recovering from gambling problems. GA holds meetings across Vermont and offers virtual meeting options.
- VT Department of Mental Health: Provides funding for problem gambling treatment services and training programs for counselors. The department offers the Vermont Provider Training Program, accredited by the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board.