Vermont may not be the most gambling-friendly state in the union, but that didn’t stop them from adopting Daily Fantasy Sports laws and regulations quickly. If you’re based in Vermont and are looking to join your state in the excitement of DFS gameplay, we suggest you continue reading for tips and information about DFS betting in Vermont.

Todd Winkler, Editor at online-gambling.com

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Todd Winkler has been an editor at online-gambling.com for 6 years. His focus is on guides and articles about poker games, blackjack, and DFS. With relatives in New Zealand, he is also well aware of the gambling industry in the country.

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Online Daily Fantasy Sports in Vermont – Overview

Vermont’s Daily Fantasy Sports bill was similar to many other states’ DFS bills in that it looked to set up some basic regulations and consumer protection clauses. This was great news for Vermont’s 100,000+ DFS contestants who could have very easily lost their playing privileges if the then-state Attorney General had his way.

According to AG William Sorrell, he believed that DFS operations were in violation of Vermont’s gambling laws, which have historically placed strict limitations on gambling. It was perhaps this statement that motivated lawmakers to act so quickly on enabling laws and regulations, noting the potential benefit for tax revenue as well as the need to keep in line with the rest of the country’s shifting attitude to gambling. Luckily for Vermont, the lawmakers were succesful and contestants have been able to enjoy DFS without breaking the law for years. Below, we’ve listed four of Vermont’s favorite sports leagues, how they’re played in DFS and why they’re loved.

Online Daily Fantasy NFL – Don’t Pass On NFL Fantasy!

The National Football League has to be the USA’s favorite sport to watch and the NFL Fantasy League is also one of the most popular DFS leagues played. In this contest, contestants are asked to draft a team of 9 NFL stars into their lineup. Points are awarded to contestants based on the real-life performances of their chosen players and games usually lasts one week.

Online Daily Fantasy MLS – Goal!

Major League Soccer is a popular attraction for Vermont’s outdoors-loving residents, despite there being no teams that represent the state in the league. The MLS Fantasy League asks contestants to construct teams of 8 players that must be competing in a minimum of two different games. Rounds are won by players not only scoring points but also by not having points deducted, e.g. while goals score 10 points, red cards will result in a 3 point deduction.

Online Daily Fantasy MLB – A Hit Out Of The Park

While they have no MLB teams of their own, Vermont’s residents are still known to be major fans of the Major League Baseball from their neighbor states. In MLB Fantasy, players are to draft a team of 10 players within a $50,000 salary cap. However, players’ values change after every round so you may need to adjust your lineups every week to stay within budget.

Online Daily Fantasy NBA – A Slam Dunk

In the NBA Fantasy league, contestants draft 8 players from at least two different NBA games. Scoring is also based on real-life gameplay statistics e.g. 1 point for every point scored, 2 points for a block. Even though Vermont has no teams in the NBA or in any major professional league for that matter, there’s no denying that NBA Fantasy is a favorite of Vermont’s players.

College Fantasy Sport – The Catamounts Are The Team To Beat

Because Vermont has no teams in any major professional league, residents tend to head to look to their universities to support their local athlete’s victories. The University of Vermont has a particularly strong collegiate athletic program, but their most successful team would have to be their Catamounts men’s ice hockey team. The Catamounts have appeared in five NCAA Hockey Championships since joining it in 2005. Eighteen former Catamounts players have gone on to play for the NHL, with the University of Vermont’s ice hockey team being the only team to produce both a Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy winner.

Their loyal following of locals has been well earned over their exciting history, so what better way to celebrate the current lineup of players then include them in your DFS lineup?

Timeline of Daily Fantasy Sports Legislation

Vermont is one of the many states in the USA that has a lukewarm attitude towards gambling. It has not outlawed all forms of gambling as many states have but it is also not a gambler’s paradise either. As time goes on, Vermont’s constituents seem to be more open to legal forms of gambling which is evidenced in its move towards legal DFS betting. Below, we’ve created a timeline of important years in Vermont’s gambling history. For further information on gambling, see our dedicated Vermont gambling page.

Legal Daily Fantasy Betting Age in Vermont

A thing that is monitored very strictly in Vermont is the gambling age. To legally play daily fantasy sports, you must be 18 years old or more. This is valid also for other sorts of gambling and betting. Underaged gambling is punishable by law with a fine that goes up to $500 and even imprisonment that can be up to 6 months. We strongly advise you to always follow the laws and the regulations and never to allow yourself or your close ones to participate in gambling activities in case they are not yet full-aged.

• DFS Betting Age
  Players must be over 18 years old to legally gamble in Vermont.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age in Vermont is 21 years old.
• Weed Age
  Recreational cannabis smoking is restricted to those over 21 years of age in Vermont.

Is Daily Fantasy Betting Legal Outside of the State?

Daily Fantasy League betting is legal in most states in the USA, with only nine states that continue to block DFS operators from remaining active in the state. Some of these states include Hawaii, Nevada and Idaho. Other states, like Georgia and Florida, are yet to confirm that DFS is not a game of chance but rather a game of skill yet still allow for DFS to continue remaining active. We hope that one day the nation can be united in its support of DFS, but unfortunately, some states seem to be pretty adamant to allow it based on moral grounds. Nevertheless, those who are able to enjoy it should make the most of it – not everyone is so lucky!

The Best Fantasy Sports App in Vermont

To make things easier for contestants, most major Daily Fantasy Sports operators have created dedicated DFS apps to ensure that you can bet while on the go. This makes drafting and checking scores even more convenient and is our preferred way to play. Based on our experience, we recommend the DraftKings app the most for DFS betting.

Taxes on Daily Fantasy Winnings: Legal Overview

The winnings that you gather from daily fantasy sports or any other form of betting and gambling undergo the federal tax laws with a rate of 25%, as long as the amount is over $600. If this is the case, you also have to include them in your annual declaration. To receive more detailed information, you can refer to the Vermont Department of Taxation.

Upcoming Regulation Changes to Be Aware Of

Since DFS was first legalized, there haven’t been many changes to DFS laws. The only updates to regulations saw that DFS operators would have to pay a $5,000 annual licensing fee to remain active within the state. Other than that, DFS activity remains much the same as when it was first introduced.

Currently, most of Vermont’s conversations about gambling have revolved around the possible legalization of sports betting. Since PASPA was repealed in 2018 and opened the gates for states to allow legal sports betting, Vermont has been considering how it will approach sports betting. In 2019 alone, three separate bills regarding sports betting have been introduced, including one to set up a legal committee investigating its benefits and one that aims to rewrite state legislation to allow for gambling licensees to apply for sports betting licenses.

How this will progress remains to be seen, with opinions on the matter remaining quite divided. As more states legalize sports betting across the nation, we have no doubt that Vermont will be keeping a close eye on how the situation progresses.

Daily Fantasy Guides for Nearby States

• New York
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• Maine