Vermont Liquor and Lottery projects FY26 sports-wagering gain, seeks $1.82M Microsoft D365 upgrade to support B2B site

Wendy Knight, commissioner of the Department of Liquor and Lottery, told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 10 that the agency is projecting $14.8 million in net revenue from the Liquor Control Fund and $7.6 million from sports wagering in fiscal 2026, and is requesting a one-time $1,820,000 upgrade to its Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) inventory system to support a new business-to-business (B2B) ordering website.

Knight summarized the department’s mission at the hearing: “we basically, have 2, a dual mission. We generate revenue ... And then we have an equally important, if not more important mission, which is to do that in a responsible and safe manner,” she said, describing the agency’s role running three enterprise funds — liquor control, the Vermont Lottery and sports wagering — while enforcing licensing and public-safety rules.

The B2B site is intended to let bars and restaurants order inventory online, create shopping carts and pick up or arrange delivery, Knight said. The department signed a contract with Provi to operate the website, but agency staff and the Agency of Digital Services…