The Vermont Senate moved a legal sports betting bill one step closer to Gov. Phil Scott’s desk Thursday morning when it approved H 127 by a voice vote. Because the bill originated in the House, it must now go back to that chamber for concurrence and then on to Scott. Should he sign it, the state will become the second in 2023 to legalize. Vermont’s legislative session is scheduled to adjourn May 12.
The bill allows only for digital wagering, with a maximum of six platforms in the second-smallest state in the U.S.
The expectation is that Scott will sign the bill, which is a heavily amended version of the original proposal. Once the legislature transmits the bill, Scott will have five days, excluding Sundays, to sign or veto the bill. If he does neither, the bill becomes law without his signature after five days.
Vermont would become the final New England state to legalize and the only one to do so in a digital-only format. All five other states in the region offer both retail and digital wagering, which means that any Vermonter who wants to watch a game in a sportsbook and bet will still have to drive across the border to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or New York.
Consumer protections top of mind
H 127 traveled through six committees since being introduced by Rep. Matthew Birong on Jan. 31. It was amended in every committee, in large part to make responsible and problem gambling guidelines stronger and more specific, with the intent of protecting those who are vulnerable and under the legal of age of 21 from exposure. Since Massachusetts last summer legalized with some of the most stringent consumer protections (further strengthened by the state gaming commission), strict advertising and marketing rules have become a trend in legislatures and regulatory bodies.
In Vermont, lawmakers made it clear from the start that they did not want legal wagering to alter the literal or cultural landscape of their state when they followed Tennessee and Wyoming down the digital-only path. Since then, lawmakers in both chambers have fiddled with the bill, searching for ways to keep advertising at bay.
Approved amendments will require operators to include advertising and marketing plans in their license applications and that ban wagering advertising on any products that appeal mainly to those under 21. It’s likely that the guidelines will become even more strict on the enforcement side, as the Department of Liquor and Lottery has been involved with the legislation throughout.
According to the House clerk, bills in Vermont usually take several days to travel between chambers and get on a calendar. The expectation is that H 127 will be back on the House agenda for concurrence early next week.
