Vermont is one of the smallest and least populated states in the US. It is known for its vast forests and maple syrup production, but not gambling. Gambling in Vermont is prohibited in most of its forms. There are no land-based casinos and sports betting shops. All those who wish to gamble in casinos need to go to the neighboring state of Connecticut, or across the Canadian border to Montreal for a piece of the action.
Online gambling is restricted as well. Online casinos are not allowed to operate within Vermont’s borders. So, are there any gambling options in the Green Mountain State? Well, there are. Vermont offers charitable gambling, the state lottery, and social casinos. Technically, pari-mutuel wagering is allowed on horse racing, but there are no racetracks operating in Vermont at the moment.
Read on to find out more about Vermont’s gambling laws, the future of online gambling in this state, and what your best online gambling options are in Vermont.
Top 10 Vermont Online Casinos
Here is a list of our top 10 recommended online casino sites to play at for real money from Vermont.
1
Bovada
Rating 4.5
Mobile Friendly
Accepts Bitcoin
Live dealers available
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, echeck, MasterCard, Matchpay, Visa, Visa Gift Card
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Courier Check, echeck, Ethereum, Gift Cards, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Tether, User2User Transfer, Visa
Withdrawal Methods: American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, User2User Transfer
The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino. • The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer. • The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus. • Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus. • The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted. • Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Deposit Methods: American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, BitcoinSV, Courier Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Player Transfer, Tether, Visa
Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
This promotion is non-transferable.
Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
Vermont’s negative stance toward gambling has had a negative impact on online gambling as well. According to the Vermont Statutes, gambling is defined as “winning or losing money or another valuable thing by play or hazard at any game.” The definition is considered broad enough to cover online gambling, so it is deemed illegal even though it is not explicitly mentioned in the legislation.
To understand the situation with gambling in Vermont and what has led to such a negative take on gaming, let’s learn more about the history of gambling in this state.
Not everything was so grim for gambling in Vermont at first. In 1959, pari-mutuel gaming was declared legal. There were two racetracks where betting on horse races took place – the Vermont State Fair in Rutland and the Green Mountain Race Track in Pownal, which opened in 1963. After a couple of decades of horse racing, the Green Mountain Race Track switched to greyhound racing, but that didn’t bode well for the racetrack and led to its closure in 1992. Since then, no racetrack or pari-mutuel wagering has taken place in Vermont.
In 1976, voters passed a referendum to allow the establishment of the Vermont State Lottery, which organizes lottery draws under the Vermont Lottery Commission’s supervision. The lottery is still alive and kicking in Vermont, primarily interstate draws such as Powerball and Mega Millions.
Apart from the lottery and technically pari-mutuel wagering, only non-profit, fraternal, and religious organizations can host casino events to fund their projects.
All other forms of gambling, including online gambling, are strictly off-limits. There are no tribal casinos, nor land-based commercial ones. However, offshore gambling is the refuge for all gamblers from Vermont looking for valid online gambling options.
Offshore Gambling Sites
Even though online gambling is not allowed in Vermont, per se, all gamers can enjoy playing in offshore gambling sites without any fear of legal prosecution. Vermont law forbids running an online gambling operation and participating in one, but it does not say anything about offshore casinos. This is because offshore casinos are not registered in Vermont and therefore are not subject to Vermont gambling laws.
This does not mean that offshore online casinos are not licensed and regulated. Offshore online casinos licensed by reputable gambling jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority, to name a few, are considered to be entirely fair and safe and can be an excellent choice for all players from Vermont.
The Future of Online Gambling in Vermont
All prior attempts to bring online gambling to Vermont came short in the end. One such effort happened in 2012 with a bill that would allow the Vermont State Lottery to sell online lottery tickets. However, the bill never made it into law, which says a thing or two about the legislators’ enthusiasm when it comes to legalizing online gambling.
What might be a glimmer of hope for online gaming enthusiasts in Vermont is the legalization of daily fantasy sports competitions. Namely, as of 2017, betting on DFS is allowed in Vermont. Several DFS betting companies conduct their business in Vermont on account of DFS not being deemed as gambling, but more of a skill-based game.
No one knows for sure if online casinos will ever become legal in Vermont, but such a proposition seems highly unlikely at this point. It remains to be seen. In the meantime, offshore online casinos where you can play top casino games, like slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, and others, are a valuable alternative for all players from Vermont.
Land-Based Casino Options
As we have previously stated, there are no land-based casino options in Vermont. For a visit to proper brick and mortar casinos, Vermont players need to travel to neighboring New Jersey, Connecticut, or New York, where land-based casino gaming is allowed.
Final Thoughts
Gambling in Vermont has been illegal for a long time, and that situation does not seem to be headed for improvement at the moment. Vermont’s gaming market is an unfavorable place for all those who enjoy playing in either online or land-based casinos. Offshore online casinos are an effective alternative, but you should consult a lawyer to get the necessary reassurance and make sure you can play in offshore online casinos.
FAQ
Unfortunately, online casinos are not legal in Vermont since no forms of online gambling are allowed, except wagering on daily fantasy sports, which is considered a skill-based game rather than gambling per se.
Since no forms of online casinos and poker rooms are allowed in Vermont, you can’t play online poker legally in Vermont.
The minimum legal gambling age for charitable gaming, lottery, and DFS is 18.
Given the fact that all prior attempts to legalize online gambling were futile and nipped in the bud, it is safe to say Vermont will not legalize online gambling anytime soon.
Offshore online casinos are available for Vermont players, but it is better to consult a lawyer before setting up an account.
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Tum
Administrator/moderator and fixer of things that break on blackjackinfo.com. Tum has contributed to the LCB network for over 10 years working with numerous casino, poker and sports affiliate websites.
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