A neutral, dated read on whether a Vermont resident can use Manifold Markets, and what it costs. Manifold is a play money prediction market that runs on a virtual currency called mana with no cash value, so it sits outside gambling and securities law and is generally available across the United States for free. Information, not advice. As of March 2026.
Last reviewed 1 March 2026 · Status as of March 2026 · Information, not legal advice
A Vermont resident can use Manifold Markets because it is a play money platform, and that is the whole answer. Trades are placed in mana, a virtual currency with no cash value that cannot be converted into dollars, crypto or gift cards, its only real world use being charitable donation (per Manifold documentation and 2026 reviews). Since no money is won or lost, the activity does not meet the consideration and prize elements that define gambling, so it falls outside the rules overseen by the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery and outside CFTC oversight. Vermont is a recent entrant to real money wagering, having launched licensed online sports betting on 11 January 2024, but that regime governs cash betting, not a no stakes forecasting site. Manifold also ended its brief real money sweepstakes programme, sweepcash, on 28 March 2025 and returned to a mana only model, so there is no cash element to attract state scrutiny.
As of March 2026, Manifold Markets is generally available to a Vermont resident, and it is free to use. It is a play money platform whose currency, mana, has no cash value and cannot be cashed out, so it does not count as gambling under Vermont law and is not regulated by the CFTC. Vermont launched licensed online sports betting on 11 January 2024, but that framework covers real money operators, not a no stakes forecasting site, so a Vermont reader can generally register and trade in mana at no cost.
Where a position is genuinely contested we say so. Vermont's open questions concern how its young real money sports betting market settles under the Department of Liquor and Lottery, which is a separate category. Manifold is play money with no cash value, so that debate does not reach it, and its availability to a Vermont reader is clear rather than contested.
Manifold is genuinely available to a Vermont reader, so we list it alongside the United States regulated venues you could also consider. Manifold itself is play money and pays no cash, while the others are real money platforms under federal oversight, with availability that can vary in Vermont. This list appears after the information, shows no paid placements, and you should confirm your eligibility before acting.
Manifold runs on play money and cannot pay cash. The other venues are real money platforms under federal oversight, and specific products can vary by state. Scores are illustrative editorial examples, not advice. Confirm the current position before acting.
As of March 2026, yes, generally, and free. Manifold is a play money prediction market whose currency, mana, has no cash value, so it sits outside Vermont gambling law and CFTC oversight and is open across the United States. This is general information, not legal advice.
No. Accounts are free and trading uses mana, a play money currency. There is no cash buy in because there is no cash payout, so a Vermont reader can use it at no cost.
No. Mana cannot be converted to cash, crypto or gift cards. Its only real world use is charitable donation, which is the design choice that keeps Manifold outside gambling rules.
Because it uses play money with no cash value, Manifold does not meet the prize element that defines gambling, so Vermont law does not reach ordinary use, even though the state launched online sports betting in January 2024. We cannot give legal advice, so confirm your own position if unsure.
Briefly. Manifold ran a sweepstakes programme called sweepcash from September 2024, then ended it on 28 March 2025 and returned to a mana only model. As of March 2026 it is play money only.
Manifold runs on play money, so no cash can be won or lost on it, but the wider category still warrants a plain warning. Treating forecasting as easy income carries badly into the real money venues nearby, including Vermont's licensed sportsbooks, where positions settle to zero and losses are permanent. Use Manifold to learn how prices and probabilities behave, not as a stepping stone to chase money. You must be 18+ or the legal age in your region. If betting has stopped being fun, in the United States you can call or text the helpline on 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org.
The position above rests on Manifold being a play money platform whose mana has no cash value, which keeps it outside gambling and CFTC oversight, and on Vermont state law not reaching virtual currency play. Confirm it yourself before acting, because platform models can change.
Status as of March 2026. General information, not legal advice.