Online Sports Wagering To Debut In Vermont In January of Next Year
Starting January 11 of next year, mobile sports wagering will start in Vermont, giving the state’s sport enthusiasts a chance to wager online, Republican Gov. Phil Scott said December 12.
3 major operators will offer mobile sports wagering in Vermont:
As soon as mobile sports wagering officially kicks in, 3 major operators such as FanDuel, DraftKings and Fanatics Sportsbook have been selected by the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery to manage mobile sports betting platforms. In that regard, Scott said in a statement according to NECN: “I first proposed Vermont legalize sports wagering several years ago, and it’s good to see it come to fruition. Vermonters and visitors alike will soon be able to access a regulated sports wagering marketplace, which will come with important consumer protections and generate revenue for the State.” In addition, he officially signed into law H.127 legislation during June, making Vermont another US state to legalize online sports wagering. Half of the US states have already legalized it.
Furthermore, every year after launch, the aforementioned Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, in discussion with the Department of Mental Health, will offer a “report to the Legislature“ on the influence of sports wagering on irresponsible gambling in Vermont.
Requirements for operators:
Among the requirements placed on operators will be requirements to offer the state the plan about responsible gaming that involves details of the resources that will be made available to bettors who are concerned about problem gambling, the publication of problem-gambling materials, self-exclusion programs and house-imposed player restrictions. On a related note, the newly legalized online sports wagering operation is projected to generate a maximum of $7 million in income to the state throughout its first year, according to Scott.
Furthermore, commenting on the newly-legalized mobile sports wagering, Wendy Knight, Commissioner of the Department of Liquor and Lottery, commented in a statement: “We are excited to offer sports enthusiasts the ability to engage in sports wagering in Vermont with three of the industry’s top companies.”
As for the pre-registration period, it officially starts on Tuesday, which gives operators a chance to pre-register and do marketing ahead of the aforementioned January debut.
Supporters and opponents of the H.127 bill:
Legalization advocates claimed that in the digital age, Vermonters are already gambling illegally in online circles, a kind of black market of sorts that leaves them exposed to exploitation and scams. Furthermore, they also claimed that “as long as Vermonters participated in fraudulent online marketplaces, the state was missing out on potential revenue that a state-regulated program could provide.”