Gambling enthusiasts have been enjoying the betting action since 2019, with New Hampshire sports betting. However, the state has encountered challenges in implementing mobile gaming. Recently, the New Hampshire Association of Charitable Gaming Operators strongly objected to an iGaming bill, which ultimately failed in a House Committee vote.
Additionally, there could be an agreement for a newly crafted bill next year that would bring iGaming to the masses in the Granite State.
Not This Time
Casino gaming in New Hampshire is different than in most jurisdictions in that there are no true commercial casinos, only pseudo-casinos that often have small limits and operate under the state’s charitable gaming laws. The gambling houses are mandated to donate a portion of daily proceeds to local nonprofit organizations.
Officially, charitable gaming organizations must earmark 35% of their gross gaming revenue to charitable causes and 10% to the New Hampshire Lottery, which sends it to a public education fund in the state.
New Hampshire Sen. Tim Lang, the same legislator who was a principal proponent in getting sports betting passed in 2019, sponsored SB 104 which was the iGaming bill that was ultimately voted down in the House Committee after barely eking its way out of the Senate.
The charitable gaming “casinos” in New Hampshire got historical slot-like machines added to the table games offered in their establishments in 2021 and Lang tried to make concessions to appease the operators who believed online gaming would cannibalize its business.
Lang proposed increasing betting limits at charitable gaming venues and advocated for iGaming apps to advertise the closest charitable gaming casino to the customers’ geo-tracked devices. Rick Newman, representing New Hampshire Charitable Gaming Operators Association, refused to consider any of Lang’s concessions and testified against the bill which ultimately contributed to its demise in the House Committee.
Maybe Next Year
Senator Lang believes there has been substantial progress in bringing the gaming coalition into the fold since his bill’s defeat.
“The operators had a kneejerk reaction on cannibalization,” Lang said. “So, I was hit hard and heavy on the cannibalization argument. The operators were petrified that they were going to lose market share. And whatever data we showed them, they were highly opposed to it and hammered our House members.”
Lang added, “I have been contacted by operators and they’re now saying we want you to file a bill in ’24 and we’ll work with you on getting it passed.”.
As to where he will go in next year’s session with a new bill, Lang said, “So in ’24, I expect New Hampshire will bring it forward again and I feel really positive about the outcome. I’m chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in the Senate. It will be coming to my committee, so I know it will pass again there. And we’ll work on the House. I think we will see an iGaming bill pass in New Hampshire in ’24.”
Seeking Legislative Support
The shift in the casino group’s perspective has much to do with them getting direct participation in the iGaming sector, although Newman was cagey about what it would take for the Charitable Gaming Operators Association to lend its full support.
“We’ve had very, very preliminary conversations with Sen. Lang and other legislators as well,” Newman said. “We don’t have a specific model. The session just ended and we’re taking a breath here. But I think those discussions will take place over the next several months, absolutely.”
Newman further added, “If online gaming is going to come to New Hampshire, the charitable gaming operators want to have it under the umbrella of the current gaming in New Hampshire. Doing it that way may have the support of legislators who do not support the idea of having a DraftKings-type company come in and bring online gaming.”
Calculators
