New Hampshire Senate Advances Online Casino Bill
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The New Hampshire Senate narrowly passed an online casino gambling bill by a 12-11 vote on March 31, moving the legislation along for further legislative consideration by the House.
The state is already home to retail and online sports gambling, which it has had since 2019. Now, lawmakers are considering expanding online gambling to include slots and table games.
This bill, SB 104, would authorize casino games offered over the internet in the state of New Hampshire to be regulated by the NH Lottery Commission.
Proceeds received by the Commission from online gaming wagering, less the administrative costs, prizes paid, and payments for problem gambling services, would be deposited in a newly created Community College Scholarship Fund.
This bill’s effective date would be January 1, 2024. However, the Commission would begin ramp-up work after the bill’s (potential) passage. It would take nine months to complete a contracting process and adopt administrative rules for online casino gambling.
Online casinos would launch on or around April 1, 2024. According to the state, the market would take about three years to reach maturity.
According to the legislation: “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.”
Negotiations for the state’s revenue share would be at least 35% of gross gaming revenue, and there would be three to five authorized online casinos.
New Hampshire estimated annual gross gaming revenue of approximately $27 million in the first year of operation, rising to an estimate of $40.5 million in the second year of operation and $54 million in the third year at maturity.
The new law would establish the position of Director of iGaming as the head of a new state iGaming Division.
