Poker Tournaments in Vermont in 2025 – VT Poker Tournaments Schedule & Results

Online casinos and poker rooms are illegal in the Green Mountain State. Vermont statutes are quite specific about which games are allowed and which are not:

“A person who plays at cards, dice, tables or other game for money or other valuable in a common gaming or gambling house that is maintained for lucre and gain shall be fined not more than $200.00 or imprisoned not more than 60 days, or both.”

Lawmakers have shown no inclination to legalize online poker, nor have they taken any measures to regulate other forms of internet gambling so far.

Still, the situation that sparks hope is the sports betting bill proposed by Governor Phill Scott at the beginning of 2023. The chances of it being passed are high, so VT residents will likely be able to place their first bets in 2024. This is a testament to the fact that the Green Mountain State’s lawmakers have started to change their harsh stance on gambling — therefore, state-licensed online poker might be next in line.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean VT poker fans are left in the lurch when it comes to playing poker online. One option is to play at sweepstakes or social casinos, which are 100% legal in the state. The other one is to participate in poker tourneys in licensed offshore poker rooms.

No legal actions have ever been taken against individuals playing poker online while physically present in the state. Thus, from a legal perspective, you are welcome to join such platforms and participate in poker competitions. To get started, check out the list of offshore poker rooms we have recommended on this page.

Common Poker Tournaments on Offshore Sites

International poker rooms typically have busy tournament calendars. These competitive formats feature fantastic prize purses — up to 100k in guarantees (and sometimes even more than that).

Types of online poker tournaments you can commonly see on online poker sites include:

• Freerolls
• Freezeouts
• Satellites
• Sit and Gos
• Re-busy
• Knockouts
• Bounties
• Shoutouts

Freezeouts and re-buys with guaranteed prize pools are usually among the biggest and most significant events.

Unfortunately, Vermont residents can’t participate in real-money poker tournaments, as the state doesn’t have any brick-and-mortar casinos, tribal or commercial. The only person interested in the legalization of land-based gambling halls was State Rep. Ronald E. Hubert.

Hubert introduced legislation that would have allowed the establishment of one land-based gambling venue. He had tried to push this idea for almost a decade, explaining how a casino would bolster state coffers, but none of his bills ever passed the Committee. Evidently, the state wants to keep things charitable for the time being.

As for charitable gaming, Vermont allows it in a limited capacity, and poker is among the permitted games. Vermonters can participate in these tournaments, but there is a catch — such organizations can host not more than three events per year. Additionally, the maximum prize won through charitable poker must not exceed $1,000 in value for one game per day or $5,000 for one month. Still, since all the proceeds go to charitable causes, it is understandable why this is not everyone’s cup of tea.

All things considered, it is not surprising the majority of Vermont poker enthusiasts cross the border and head to Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. These states feature casinos that are just a few hours away from the Green Mountain State and are a dream come true for every avid poker player. The most popular ones are:

• Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in CT
• Turning Stone in NY
• MGM Springfield in MT
• Manchester Poker Rooms in NH

They have spacious poker rooms, which regularly host NLH tournaments and cash games.