Unlike sports betting in New Hampshire, bringing online casinos to the state has not been an easy task.
The New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee overwhelmingly recommended killing an online casino measure that would have permitted digital table games but not slot machines. The recommendation comes a day after the committee heard from charitable gaming organizations, education authorities, and responsible gambling advocates.
SB 104 would authorize internet casino games like poker, blackjack, and roulette under the supervision of the state lottery commission, with the proceeds going toward community college scholarships. It cleared the Senate on March 30th, but the House Ways and Means Committee recommendation could mean any chance of iCasino being legalized is dead.
According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, the bill will still move on to the House floor, where it may or may not come up for discussion. The current session ends June 30th.
iCasino Is Tough to Launch in Any State
iCasino is legal in six states, but it is a tough row to hoe. Lawmakers in Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, and New York failed to pass online casino legislation this session. That’s because despite online casinos generating more revenue for operators and states, the fear of addiction is much greater.
So far, only Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia offer online casinos, and online slots are included in all of those packages.
What Supporters of SB 104 Are Saying in New Hampshire
Supporters of the law argue that there is a strong enough market for gambling in New Hampshire that a new online alternative will increase the number of people who would wager rather than transfer gaming habits away from brick-and-mortar venues.
According to New Hampshire Public Radio, Sen. Timothy Lang, a Republican from Sanbornton, warned lawmakers that unlawful websites headquartered outside the country already offer online poker and other games of chance. He said that legalizing games in New Hampshire would improve consumer protection.
He also told lawmakers that diverting some of the money to community colleges would help to improve The Granite State’s workforce. He says students who attend New Hampshire schools would do their internships in the state, and most likely stay to work in the state as well.
Opponents Say SB 104 Is Also Bad For Charities
But during the meeting, opponents highlighted data from other states that show a decrease in brick-and-mortar casino revenue when online gaming is introduced.
In New Hampshire, there is an additional concern that the state’s brick-and-mortar charitable casinos would lose out. Charitable organizations participate in gaming at 14 locations. The charitable organization is entitled to 35% of profits from table games and 75% from historical horse racing machines.
What’s Next For Online Casinos in New Hampshire?
Although the future for legalizing online casinos in New Hampshire looks bleak, there is a chance SB 104 comes up for discussion on the House floor.
Lawmakers who favor the bill say there is the potential for the state to reap massive monetary benefits. According to the bill: “The iGaming market for New Hampshire will not initially be as strong as established in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, as there is only a limited established player database for casino customers in the state. It is assumed that the New Hampshire iGaming market will be roughly on par with those markets on a per capita basis in approximately three years.”
New Hampshire’s expected annual gross gaming revenue of around $27 million in the first year of operation, rising to $40.5 million in the second year and $54 million in the third year at maturity.
*Bookmakers Review will continue to monitor the developments.
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