Can Vermont residents participate in real money online poker games? Of course, certainly. Is your money safe at offshore online poker rooms? Yes, it is as long as you deposit at one of our recommended card rooms.
Is internet poker legal for people in the State of Vermont? Well, the issue of internet gambling and online poker in Vermont isn’t one that’s specifically dealt with by the law, so it’s a bit of a gray area. Suffice it to say that no legal action has ever been taken against an individual for playing cards over the internet while located in the state. This is actually true of the entire United States as a whole too.
You’ll probably be relieved to find out that enjoying internet-based poker isn’t criminalized at the federal level. The infamous Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 doesn’t target players directly. As a result, there are plenty of reputable offshore online poker sites available including Ignition Poker.
All sites aren’t the same, so you should do your homework before putting your hard-earned money onto any of them. Fortunately, we here at Professional Rakeback have chosen to partner with only honest and trustworthy online poker operators. Whichever of our highly rated choices you wind up playing at, you’ll be treated to fair gameplay, competent customer service, and reliable payout processing.
The only times in recent memory that anyone in Vermont has been brought up on gambling charges relate to illegal games being held at places of business. You, as an individual playing on a computer in a private home, appear to be safe.
The authorities’ stance on gambling today is perhaps illustrated by the fact that in 2016, the head of the criminal division of the Vermont Attorney General’s office said that gambling was not “an enforcement priority” for the state government.
Vermont residents have plenty of possibilities when it comes to choosing an online poker site. Rather than leaving you to perhaps fall into the hands of an unscrupulous business entity, we've done the work of identifying the most reputable and legitimate online poker rooms that serve Vermont. When you play at any of the sites on our list, you'll benefit from well-designed software, plenty of game stakes and types, and the prompt payment of any cash winnings you're fortunate or skilled enough to accumulate.
Getting started with online poker in Vermont is a quite simple. We've included instructions below for registering with our #1 pick, Ignition Poker, but the process is similar for any online poker site with some very small differences.
None of the rooms for Vermont online poker are identical; they each have strengths and weaknesses. We've evaluated them across various criteria to establish which ones deserve to be listed among our recommended providers.
The formats of poker spread at each site vary from the vanilla NL Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha to more obscure variants, like Razz, 5 Card Draw, HORSE, and Open Face Chinese. Even at sites that offer the same types of games, the blind levels supported vary wildly from nano-stakes up to high blind level tables.
In the tournament and SNG lobbies too, you'll encounter great differences between sites. Lottery-style games, Step and satellite tourneys, freerolls, and other game types serve to differentiate one room from the next.
Most rooms for internet poker in Vermont let you deposit and withdraw via credit cards, checks, money orders, and other traditional payment methods. However, they also support Bitcoin and other cryptos, which are our preferred channels for depositing and cashing out.
Bitcoin enables rapid transactions with low fees and relative freedom from control by the authorities. If you aren't yet sure how you can employ Bitcoin for your gaming needs, then check out this detailed walkthrough on creating Bitcoin wallets and exchange accounts.
Many poker destinations on the internet welcome new players with a bonus on their first deposit. There are other kinds of bonuses too, like no deposit bonuses and reloads.
Beyond bonuses, most rooms also have a menu of promotions, like race races, free tournament tickets, loyalty programs, and leaderboards. Some of these promos run continuously while others are of limited duration and rotate frequently.
Rakeback is one of the best online poker promotions available. This is because it’s an ongoing rebate on the rake you pay at the tables, and it can add up over time. We appreciate the advantages of rakeback so much that we have incorporated it into the name of our site, ProfessionalRakeback.
Check out the Vermont online poker sites that offer rakeback deals below:
If you wish to make an informed decision, then you might want further details on the internet poker sites for Vermont before you pick one to trust with your hard-earned money. Check out the reviews below so that you can gain a better familiarity with the options for online poker that are available to you.
Credit Card, Voucher Code, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, MatchPay
For the largest number of simultaneously running games, Ignition is the choice for Floridians. Besides NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, PL Omaha/8, and LHE at stakes both low and high, there's also fast-fold Zone Poker and lottery-style SNGs to tempt you.
Standard-style sit-n-gos exist up to about the $200 level, and the weekly MTT schedule boasts $1.5 million in guarantees. Special tournament series that guarantee seven figures pop up every few months too.
All games here anonymize users' screennames to level the playing field. Moreover, seats at the tables are assigned by a Quick Seat function, which means you cannot choose the table or seat you want. This has led to a few complains, but most players are comfortable with this system because it leads to soft games filled with fish.
Ignition provides poker clients for Windows and Mac in the form of downloadable installers while mobile users can use a web client that works on Android, iOS, and other systems. The poker welcome bonus is a 150% match up to $1,500 with Bitcoin.
Credit Cards, Person to Person, Money Orders, Bank Wire, Cashiers Check, Bitcoin, Avalanche, Binance, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Polygon, Ripple, Shiba Inu, Solana, Stellar, Tether, Tron, USD Coin
SB Poker and its sister site BetOnline host a wide array of standard cash games, like Texas Hold'em, PLO, 5 Card PLO, and 6 Card PLO, and there are a few interesting wrinkles too in the form of Boost fast-fold tables and Windfall lottery-style sit-and-gos. Unfortunately, the rake here is a bit higher than at competing poker rooms.
This is one of the few remaining USA-friendly sites that boasts Bad Beat Jackpots, which are active in NLHE and PLO ring games. Look for leaderboards, missions, reloads, the RISE rewards program, and other ways to increase your bankroll here.
Sportsbetting.ag has released poker clients for Mac, PC, iOS, and Android, and there's a web-based interface too, so almost every device should work. You'll get a 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus upon making your first deposit.
Credit Card, Voucher Code, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, MatchPay
Bovada is a sister site of Ignition, and so the poker cash games and tourneys are virtually identical between the two sites. Bovada has a sportsbook and racebook in addition to a poker room and casino, so it may be a better destination for Vermont residents who are looking to bet on sports and horses. There are many types of bets for you to choose from, including parlays, futures, props, straights, and exotics.
Bovada.lv is compatible with Mac, Windows PC, iPhones, iPads, and Android systems. The poker bonus is 100% up to $500, which is not as large as Ignition's, but you can claim thousands more in free cash for casino gaming and sports betting.
Credit Cards, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Money Transfer
The tournaments at ACR Poker are numerous and sizable with the weekly Sunday Major, called the Sunday Moneymaker, clocking in at $300,000 guaranteed for a buy-in of $109. Tourney series, like the OSS Cub3d, provide additional means for you to compete for worthwhile prizes.
The excitement isn't just confined to MTTs though; for you will see busy sit n' go and cash game sections too, including the niche games like Limit Omaha/8 and 7 Card Stud. Place on the weekly ring game and SNG leaderboards for a nice payout while Elite Benefits provides rewards to grinders on a regular basis.
ACR fully supports Windows and Mac, and there's a mobile client too. Use our exclusive ACR Poker bonus code PRB10FREE to get a $10 no deposit bonus followed by a 100% up to $2,000 first deposit bonus.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, CHP, Polygon, BNB
CoinPoker is the largest crypto-centric poker site available online. All play at CoinPoker is denominated in Tether (USDT), but several other coins are available for deposits and withdrawals, like Ethereum and Bitcoin.
The only cash games are NL Hold'em, PLO, and 5 Card PLO, and only Cosmic Spins lottery-style sit n' goes are offered with standard sit & goes being absent. On the plus side, leaderboards exist to reward cash, Cosmic Spins, and tournament players.
The CoinPoker software is widely compatible with varying operating systems, including PC, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. The welcome bonus is 150% up to $2,000.
Credit Card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Lightning Bitcoin, Litecoin
Everygame is nowhere near as large as other rooms described above, but it has other advantages that set it apart. For instance, you can get ongoing 36% rakeback, claim prizes in a weekly $4k rake race, boost your results with frequent tournament overlays, and benefit from many redeposit bonuses.
Everygame Poker can only be downloaded to Windows PCs, but there is also browser-based software that works on Macs, Linux machines, and mobile devices. Make your initial deposit to get a 200% up to $1,000 poker bonus.
Bitcoin
SwCPoker is a crypto-focused poker site that utilizes Bitcoin for its cashier and gameplay. Besides NL Hold'em and PLO, you'll also find Razz, Open Face Chinese, H.O.R.S.E., and more.
SwCPoker offers a downloadable poker client for Windows, Mac, and Android and HTML5 software that is compatible with nearly every modern device. SwC doesn't offer any welcome bonus, but you can receive rakeback returns via the Krill rewards program.
Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, USD Coin, BNB
You can play NL Hold'em and PL Omaha right in your browser at Nitrobetting Poker. Nitrobetting's poker software operates within any web browser, and thus, it is compatible with almost every modern device in existence. There are no poker bonuses, but it's possible to receive a rakeback percentage that grows the more you play monthly.
The sections below will aim to provide detailed information regarding the legality of playing poker online, the history involving live gambling, and potential state regulation in the state of Vermont
Most forms of brick-and-mortar wagering are banned within the State of Vermont. There used to be onsite pari-mutuel racetrack betting starting from 1965, but the closure of Green Mountain Race Track in 1992 left no remaining facilities to either conduct races or bet on them within the state.
Apart from the Vermont Lottery, the sole other notable form of offline gambling expressly permitted by law is charitable gambling. That is, nonprofit groups can host occasions where gambling is allowed subject to limitations on the prizes awarded, the compensation paid to anyone employed to run the games, the number of times a single body can hold these events within stated timeframes, et cetera. Thus, live poker tournaments can be found throughout Vermont with the proceeds going to charitable causes.
There are no casinos in Vermont. There have been multiple bills from 2011 onward that would establish a single licensed casino in the state. Each time, the bill was sent to committee and did not progress any further.
In 1960 voters approved of parimutuel racetrack wagering. The Green Mountain Race Track in Pownal started offering horse racing in 1965.
In 1976, a ballot measure to establish a state lottery passed by a huge margin. The Vermont Lottery started selling tickets in 1978.
In 2015, the state lottery was permitted a small expansion through the installation of video lottery terminals in 25 retailers across the state. However, legislators changed their mind the following year and banned such machines.
To the surprise of many observers, Vermont legalized Daily Fantasy Sports in 2017 with the governor's signature on S 136. It then followed up by passing online sports betting legislation in 2023. In January 2024, the first online sportsbooks began serving Vermont's residents.
With fewer than one million residents and no live poker scene to speak of, Vermont hasn't really produced many professional pokerists of note. Yet, despite this fact, there was one Vermonter who succeeded in the biggest annual poker competition, the World Series of Poker Main Event. The name of this individual is Hal Fowler.
Fowler eventually found himself at the final table where he had to contend with the likes of Johnny Moss, Bobby Baldwin, and David “Chip” Reese. Incredibly, Hal found himself heads-up against Bobby Hoff.
In the final hand, Hoff raised big preflop and Hal called. Seeing a flop of J 3 5, Bobby Hoff bet, and Hal Fowler called. The rest of the money went in on the 4 turn, and Fowler revealed a 76 for a completed gutshot straight, which had cracked Hoff's pocket aces.
Hal Fowler received prize money of $270,000 for winning the 1979 WSOP Main Event, becoming the first amateur player to accomplish this feat. He then largely disappeared from the world of poker apart from a few minor cashes in Vegas poker tournaments in the early '80s. Hal died in a nursing home in 2000 with a grand total of $383,500 in live tournament earnings to his credit.
Perhaps you are lucky enough to have another address in a nearby state, be it your business address, summer home, second apartment, family home, etc. If this applies to you, then you may have other online poker options available. Here is a list of the states that border Vermont and Professional Rakeback's review on each of them: Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey.
In terms of enjoying online poker, Vermont’s citizens aren’t handicapped relative to their peers in more populous parts of the country. Online poker law in Vermont doesn’t precisely make Texas Hold’em poker legal, but the penalties attached to playing are minor and unenforced. If the VT Lottery isn’t exciting enough for you, then head on over to one of our approved online poker sites, and start playing today.
At Professional Rakeback, we take responsible gambling seriously. If you find that your online gaming activities consume too much of your time, energy or money, then you might wish to consult the following resources for help:
If you still have questions relating to online poker in Vermont, then our FAQ section may be able to help you out. We've answered some of the most frequent queries that the state's residents have about internet poker below.
No, there's no framework in place in Vermont for licensed online poker. Unlike some states that have toyed with the idea but have failed to pass the necessary laws, there has never really been a serious push toward regulating internet poker within Vermont. This means that your only option if you wish to play online poker in Vermont is to head over to an offshore poker room.
Yes, it's legal to play online poker in Vermont. The few state laws that could theoretically be used to go after poker players are, in practice, never enforced against people playing poker on their computers or mobile devices. And all the federal laws that deal with this subject criminalize the companies and executives who actually provide online gaming services, not ordinary players. Therefore, you can enjoy online poker to your heart's content without any fear of legal repercussions.
Yes, PokerStars is not doing anything illegal by transacting in Vermont. However, the only games it offers to Vermonters are those that use play money chips exclusively.
The reason for this is that PokerStars was strongarmed into agreeing to only deal out real money hands in states where it is explicitly licensed to do so, and Vermont is not on this rather short list. PokerStars had to agree to this restriction in order to settle the Black Friday charges brought against it in 2011, and the company has faithfully abided by this condition ever since.
There are quite a few ways of depositing and withdrawing money to and from offshore poker providers, including credit cards, bank wires, and money transfers. However, the best way to move cash around for most online poker players is Bitcoin.
There are certain fees associated with legacy payment channels, and such transactions are subject to annoyances, like declined credit cards and lengthy waiting times for paper checks to arrive. Bitcoin, as an innovative fintech solution, does not suffer from these drawbacks. Furthermore, it provides a relatively high level of anonymity and freedom from having to interface with the cumbersome banking sector.
All the Vermont online poker rooms that we recommend allow you to deposit and cash out through Bitcoin. Many of them also support various “altcoins,” like Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum as well.
Yes, mobile poker is definitely possible. While this was a niche segment of the industry a decade ago, more and more people today are playing poker on their smartphones and tablets.
Some poker sites have specific iOS and Android apps for you to install to your smart device. Others rely on web poker clients that work on a variety of different hardware and software platforms. In some cases, this mobile software is a watered-down version of the regular poker client, so we prefer to access the games through desktop software whenever possible for the best possible gameplay experience.
There are several pages about gambling in Vermont that you may wish to investigate at your leisure:
We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!
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