New Hampshire Online Casino Bill Filed, Sites Would Need Brick-and-Mortar Partners
New Hampshire has become the most recent state this year to introduce legislation permitting online casino gambling.
Last week, state Sen. Tim Lang (R-Belknap) along with three other Republican senators presented Senate Bill 168. The legislation aims to permit online casino slot machines and interactive table games for individuals 18 years and older who are present in the Granite State.
If approved, SB168 would direct the New Hampshire Lottery to seek competitive proposals for iGaming rights. For the market to commence, the lottery must grant a minimum of three licenses for online gaming platforms. The maximum number of licenses would be limited to six.
Lang, a staunch advocate for regulated gaming, propelled New Hampshire's approval of online and in-person sports betting in 2019. For his iGaming initiative, Lang is accompanied by Senators Daniel Innis (R-Grafton), Howard Pearl (R-Merrimack), and Keith Murphy (R-Hillsborough).
Details of the iGaming Bill in New Hampshire
Lang's SB168 would mandate that iGaming operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel first collaborate with a licensed physical charitable casino that runs slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) machines and/or live dealer table games. Conventional slot machines are still prohibited in New Hampshire.
Online casinos' gross gaming revenue (GGR) would incur a 45% tax from the state. Half of the tax revenue would be allocated to the state's general fund. The other half would be divided equally between a dedicated fund for the elderly, disabled, blind, and deaf, and another fund to assist special education.
If SB168 is enacted, New Hampshire will be the first state to permit online casino gambling for individuals aged 18 and above. In the seven states where iGaming is presently active — Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia — only individuals aged 21 and older are allowed.
SB168 has been sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. New Hampshire is joining several other states, including Maryland, Indiana, Wyoming, New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaii, in evaluating iGaming during their 2025 legislative sessions. Virginia lawmakers have already backed down on an iGaming bill this year.
As SB168 undergoes its first review, New Hampshire Representative Sally Fellows (D-Grafton) has introduced a bill to increase the legal gambling age from 18 to 21. House Bill 83 is currently under consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee.
DraftKings New Hampshire Operations
New Hampshire's sports betting legislation from 2019 aimed for a competitive landscape featuring multiple online and retail sportsbook providers. The industry's conditions were revised after DraftKings proposed sharing its gross sports betting revenue with the state for exclusive rights.
Currently, DraftKings is the sole legal online sports betting site in New Hampshire. It additionally provides retail sportsbooks at four charitable gaming venues — The Brook in Seabrook, Revo Casino Manchester, Revo Casino Dover, and Gate City Casino in Nashua.
The sportsbook company likely aims to broaden its New Hampshire DraftKings platform to incorporate iGaming. Nonetheless, it may not back Lang’s proposal as it would eliminate its dominance in online gambling, which is presently restricted to sports wagering.
In 2023, DraftKings donated $1K to Vote Tim Lang, Lang’s PAC. Recently, Lang obtained funding from Churchill Downs ($1K) and NH Gaming Holdings, LLC, a partnership formed by Peninsula Pacific Entertainment and Manchester real estate developer Dick Anagnost. In October of last year, NH Gaming allocated $3K to Lang, $1K to Pearl, and $750 to Innis.
Chasers Poker Room is operated by Churchill Downs in Salem. NH Gaming operates four Revo casinos.
