Discover Vermont's Thriving Poker Scene and Laws

Vermont is one of the six states in the Northeastern part of the United States that makes up the region known as New England. Despite having one of the most socially liberal electorates among all 50 states, it also has one of the strictest gambling laws in the Union.

In fact, no for-profit company is allowed to organize any games of chance. The only available option in this state is charitable gaming, and those types of events are few and far between. If you want to take part in a poker event specifically, your chances are even lower. There aren’t any Native American tribal casinos in Vermont either. Nor is social gambling allowed.

The gambling prohibition was in effect from the very start of the state’s existence in the late 18th Century. The few exceptions that were given were the legalization of horse and greyhound races in 1959 and the establishment of the state lottery in 1978. However, even horse race tracks are no longer in operation in the state due to lack of demand.

So, for any poker player, the wise thing to do is to avoid this state. If you live in the area, your best bet is to visit one of the many legal card rooms in neighboring New Hampshire or New York State. If you don’t mind crossing an international border for some poker action, Vermont also borders Canada, and Montreal is only a 2-hour drive away from Burlington, Vermont’s most populous city.

Famous Vermonter Poker Players

Despite the harsh legal environment for gambling and small population size, The Green Mountain State has given the US the same number of presidents (one, Chester A. Arthur) as WSOP Main Event champions.

Hal Gene Flower was born in Vermont in January 1927. He took down poker’s more coveted title, the $10,000 WSOP Main Event, in 1979 for $270,000. He beat Bobby Hoff from California heads-up for the title. Flower earned a total of $383,500 in recorded live tournament cashes in his lifetime.

Bradley Myers from Esses, VT has $385,837 in live tournament earnings. In June 2016, he came in 3rd in the $1,000 WSOP No Limit Hold’em event for $133,955. That is the biggest single live tournament cash of his career to date.