Legislation

Legislature poised to hear legal gaming pitch

By Dave Fidlin | The Center Square contributor

Incoming Vermont lawmakers will have opportunity to follow through a committee recommendation and establish sports betting in 2023.

Under the proposal the Department of Liquor and Lottery could serve as the oversight agency, pulling another lever to generate revenue through licensure permits and a shared-revenue model. Mobile and online platforms in lieu of physical retail locations are the launch preference, with the latter observed in a feasibility study.

In its final meeting Tuesday of last week, the nine-member Sports Wagering Betting Study Committee unanimously approved the 33-page report.

Competitive bidding would lead to two to six mobile sports betting operators.

Tucker Anderson, who works in the state’s Office of Legislative Counsel, has been working with the committee to draft the report and assemble the list of recommendations. At Tuesday’s meeting, he touched on the concept of “financial literacy” and its importance in the broader discussion of betting, gaming, gambling and wagering. It’s like messages in other states on “responsible” gambling.

The meeting also served as one final opportunity to tie up a few loose ends, including clarification of what will and will not be included in the report.

“This is not an easy issue, and to get a unanimous vote on the report says a lot,” said state Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden, who sits on the committee. “There was a lot of feedback.”

Categories: Legislation

11 replies »

  1. Since potentially huge amounts of tax revenue are involved, the demoprogs can be expected to abandon all of their concerns about “corporations preying upon the most financially vulnerable”. They will assuage those concerns by the taxpaying public by pledging to apportion a percentage of the booty to provide programs for problem gamblers. Now that there are social benefits that dole out real cash, gambling is a real concern. I would prefer that ALL gambling, including lottery, be restricted to persons who satisfy the following criteria and hold a special license certifying that they are:
    -21 years of age (same age for purchasing a handgun)
    -not recipients of ANY form on non-entitlement public assistance

    I dont mind people gambling with charity money that I have given them, as long as they share the winnings with me.

    • You have to include entitlement assistance as well. Taxpayer money is taxpayer money. And don’t give me the line “I paid in all these years!” Gimme a break, What you paid in vs what you are currently receiving benefits for is exactly why the SS program is insolvent. The group that created it will be the group to bankrupt it. Maybe if the older generation took care of themselves a little better, and actually SAVED money instead of leaching off public assistance, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Rant over.

  2. These people just will NEVER have enough $$ coming in to fund their unending, limitless “social programs” & “climate change” insanity. NEVER.

    And they don’t give a darn about the torrents of addictions they leave in their wake. Addictions to marijuana & related drugs, now gambling, next is sex addiction with legalizing prostitution, etc. etc.

    Their goal is to destroy the historical, traditional culture of Vermont and place themselves above all as the “ruling class” who lord over the peons. They remain enamored by places such as California and Chicago & Portland as they implement programs here that have failed there – either expecting a different result or refusing to see the chaos & destruction these policies have caused.

    A government of, by, and for the people. Yeah, right. NOT in Vermont! Freedom & Unity? NOT in this state any longer!

  3. Of course!! Legalize drugs, prostitution, and gambling and Vermont will be quite the destination spot, won’t it. (But probably not for the desired type of tourist.)

  4. So gambling, prostitution, climate change and abortion are what are legislators are most concerned with it would appear. I guess everything else is too hard to fix like job creation, balancing the budget, over taxation of seniors and road repair. This is what 70% of Vermont voted for…

  5. The Vermont Legislature has been used to hugely disproportionate amounts of federal largess flowing into Vermont for decades but now that their sugar daddy, Pat Leahy is poised to go “back to the farm”, there is going to be some serious reckoning.
    The Vermont taxpayer is going to directly be making up the difference for the reckless spending by the demoprogs in Montpelier.