Now that a bill has been officially introduced to pave the way for sports betting in Vermont, state lawmakers have begun hearing testimonies from sportsbook operators and organizations who are concerned about the negative aspects of gambling.

On Thursday afternoon, testimonies revolved around responsible gaming and consumer safety.

Some suggestions given by experts were to change the minimum age to place a bet from 18 years old to 21 and to use a percentage of the tax revenue the state receives to fund problem gambling programs.

Since Vermont’s current gambling landscape only consists of playing the lottery, experts say it is of the utmost importance to not rush this process and make sure proper programs are in place.