The Department of Liquor and Lottery has been proposed as Vermont’s regulatory authority if sports betting is legalised in the state.
Currently, sports betting is not legal in Vermont but, as reported by the Associated Press, a committee formed by the Vermont legislature wants lawmakers to pursue legalised sports betting through a state-controlled market.
Earlier this year, the Vermont legislature created the nine-member 2022 Sports Betting Study Committee to decide if sports betting should be legalised, and in a draft report completed last week (Dec 13), it was unanimously found that such a regulated market would bring in much-needed state revenue.
The report added that the legal market would also provide consumers with a safer and more secure product, including funds for responsible gaming and to provide resources to help problem gamblers.
Pertintently, the committee has recommended that the Department of Liquor and Lottery should be the state’s regulatory authority.
The new Department of Liquor and Lottery was created in June 2018, comprising the Vermont Division of Liquor Control and the Vermont Division of Lottery.
The committee further suggested that it should be managed by a private operator or operators that would be chosen through a competitive bidding process.
The department would also have the Department of Mental Health provide support and undertake a study into problem gambling.
Regarding how the sports betting market will be launched in Vermont, the committee has advocated mobile and online wagering as the best place to start before it decides if retail wagering is viable in selected locations.
The legislature will convene early next month to decide whether to legalise sports betting in the state.