Vermont lawmakers could consider pushing sports betting back into the shadows.
Rep. Thomas Stevens introduced H 133 earlier this month, which would repeal the Vermont sports betting and state lottery laws. Rep. Troy Headrick and Rep. Michael Mrowicki are listed as co-sponsors.
“State-sanctioned gaming functions as a camouflaged form of regressive taxation,” Headrick told PlayUSA. “It disproportionately harms low-income and working families who are forced into desperate financial decisions.”
The bill has been referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs.
New sports betting industry
The short, one-page bill would repeal both the lottery and sports betting and make it a crime to offer either. Vermont legalized sports betting in 2023, and sportsbooks launched in January 2024.
The state has three licensees:
Since the launch of legal sports betting, Vermont residents have wagered $222.6 million. The state has collected approximately $7.2 million from the $25.2 million in sports betting revenue.
Potential influence on other markets?
Headrick told PlayUSA he hopes lawmakers in other states also look at how the industry affects low-income communities. Headrick, however, was not optimistic about the bill’s chances. Gov. Phil Scott signed the legalization bill into law.
Responsible gambling concerns were a major reason Minnesota lawmakers sidelined a sports betting bill last week.
Since the repeal of PASPA and the ensuing wave of sports betting legalizations, no market has repealed its wagering laws. Multiple states, however, are reevaluating responsible gambling measures. US lawmakers are also starting to look at the industry and how to better protect consumers.
