Vermont Gambling Laws

At one point in Vermont’s history, horse races and betting were permitted.  However, at present, there is no legal recreational gambling as many other states allow.  Instead, Vermont’s regulated gambling laws exist to maintain a gambling culture that helps the public by allowing nonprofit organization to collect proceeds for charitable ventures.  Vermont law permits nonprofits to host the following types of activities: raffles, bingos, card games and so-called “break-open” tickets, which are often referred to as scratch off tickets.  The last type is conducted by the state as part of the lottery for which proceeds are used for the provision of public goods such as state interior improvements, education, and transportation improvements, etc.  Slot machines and gambling devices are prohibited.  The law also limits how much operators (nonprofits) may offer as prizes/prize values per game to $400.  Maximum daily offering limit is $1,000, and maximum monthly limit is $5,000.  A prize that is a vehicle (car or boat), firearm, etc. may not exceed $50,000.  A socially-conscious state, Vermont’s gambling laws are meant to ensure that social benefit is the primary motivator and consequence of games of chance.

Online Gambling

The state does not have laws specifically geared toward addressing online gambling but the laws in existence make it clear that unless a nonprofit organization (as licensed by the state of Vermont) is hosting and the proceeds go to charity, then the activity is illegal.  Therefore, it is safe to presume that online gambling is frowned upon by the state.

Recent Developments

The most recent gambling development pertains to the issue of possibly allowing the lottery to be held online, and while there is opposition and advocacy for and to it, the matter has not yet moved far within the state legislature.

Casinos in Vermont

There are currently no casinos and other gambling facilities in the state due to gambling being illegal.

———-

Sources/References

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *