New Hampshire Senate Advances Online Casino Legalization Bill

The New Hampshire Senate voted 13-11 on Monday to advance Senate Bill 104, which would legalize online casino gaming. The measure now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.

Under the bill, 35 per cent of net online casino profits would fund scholarships at the Community College System of New Hampshire. Another 10 per cent would cover state lottery administration costs. State lottery projections estimate US$ 5m in revenue for the first year, rising to US$ 20 m in the second and US$ 30 m by the third.

Bill Backers and Party Line Split

Ways and Means Chairman Tim Lang introduced the legislation with support from Senate President Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro. Republicans backed the bill 10-4, while Democrats opposed it 7-3. Lang argues online gaming would create added revenue rather than reduce spending at land-based venues, citing the example of New Jersey.

Revenue Risks Facing Charity Casinos

Opponents including Sen. Bill Gannon warn that iGaming could pull business from the state’s 16 charity casinos. Churchill Downs, which operates Chasers Poker Room and Casino in Salem, is the only company to have publicly opposed the bill, according to reporting by Focus Gaming News. The state’s charitable gaming model ties licensed operators to nonprofits that receive set shares from table games and historical horse racing, with education as a primary use of state proceeds and video lottery terminals taxed at 31 per cent.

The narrow margin and focused opposition signal that the Finance Committee review will test whether projected scholarship funding outweighs threats to the existing charity system. How lawmakers reconcile those interests will shape any final legalization framework.

Reporting: Focus Gaming News

Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.