Legislation

US – New Hampshire sports betting bill awaiting Governor’s signature

By Phil - 17 June 2019

Sports betting in New Hampshire has been given the green light by legislators who have now passed the bill to Governor Chris Sununu’s desk for his signature.

The bill will see the New Hampshire Lottery Commission charged with overseeing sports betting directly or through authorised agents via the use of mobile internet devices and retail establishments. Unlike in most other states, the retail sportsbook locations will not be restricting to existing casinos. Physical locations were described in the bill as being ‘co-located with other commercial businesses or general commercial retail locations.’

The bill said: The commission shall conduct sports books for sports wagering through agents selected through a competitive bid process and approved by the governor and executive council. In selecting an agent, the commission shall consider, at a minimum, the experience and background of the agent, the agent’s ability to serve proposed locations for sports book retail operations, the agent’s mobile and internet capabilities, the agent’s contribution to the economic development within the state, the agent’s commitment to prevention of problem gambling, to responsible gaming, and to integrity in betting.”
Customers will be allowed to register remotely for online gaming. In-play betting will be allowed online but not in retail.
Only five online sports betting operators will be allowed with retail operators limited to 10.

New Hampshire expects to collect $7.5m in taxation from sports betting in 2021, increasing to $13.5m by 2023. This will go towards education programs and funding the creation of the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling.

Rep. Susan Almy, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said: “Nobody thought there was anything that they changed that would require us to go to a committee of conference and renegotiate a couple of really small things. They didn’t change much.”

Rep. Timothy Lang, the bill’s first sponsor, said: “Sports betting will now be legal in New Hampshire, and we can fine-tune it down the road. This is good for everyone; citizens as they will have new consumer protections, businesses as it provides new tourism opportunities and the State as it will have more revenue for education funding.”

Governor Sununu added: “Given our new opportunities to legalise sports betting in a responsible and reliable way, and capture more revenue for our education system, I say we go all in and get it done.”

New Hampshire is the 14th State to legalise sports wagering in the US and the sixth to do so this year. Following the launch, nearly 21 per cent of the total US population will be able to place sports wagers online.

Caption: Governor Chris Sununu