New Hampshire Casino Legislation Passes Senate Vote

Efforts to introduce a regulated casino industry in New Hampshire have passed the state’s Senate with 13 votes and will now progress onto the House.

The bill, named SB 242, was proposed by Senator Lou D’Allesandro and actually passed the senate with an affirmative vote. However, the bill was handed to a special Finance Committee for special consideration. The committee reached a stalemate with a 3-3 split on the bill, sending the legislation back to the senate floor for another vote. The same result was produced as the first round of voting, pushing the bill on to the state’s legislative House.

The bill provides for two casinos to be built within the state, although it does not specify where the two venues will be located. Both venues will be allotted 240 table games and 5,000 slot games between them. The two casinos would be erected under separate gaming licenses, a category 1 and a category 2.

The provisions for a category 1 license include 80-160 table games, 2,000-3,500 slot machines, and a price tag of $80 million. The category 2 licensee will come with 25-80 table games, 750-1,500 slot machines, and a price tag of $40 million.

Politicians involved with the legislation urged those skeptical of the practice to look at neighboring Maine and Massachusetts, which already operate successful casino industries. To combat the loss in casino tourism, and more importantly those funds leaving the state’s borders, legislators agreed passing the bill was a step in the right direction.

When asked for his comments on the subject, the bill’s founder D’Allesandro said, “While New Hampshire has done nothing, surrounding states now have gaming entities. They advertise on our TV stations and we send buses of New Hampshire residents to those other states to gamble. It’s time for New Hampshire to do something. No state that has done this has crumbled.”

It has been estimated by the New Hampshire lottery commission that the new industry could generate as much as $194 million in its first full year of operation. Said date is expected to be 2021, should the legislation pass into law. Revenues generated by the casinos would be reinvested into the surrounding towns and the hosting county.

In the past, such efforts to erect a gaming industry have been met with strong opposition. New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster has been one of the most vocal opponents.