The New England region of the U.S. is beginning to see a lot of sports gambling interest. If things go well, New Hampshire could soon be the second state in the region to legalize the activity. A bill that would authorize regulated sports gambling is making its way through the legislative obstacle course and, if it clears the Senate, will be able to move forward at a rapid pace.
House Bill 480 (HB 480) has already found majority support in the New Hampshire House. The legislative body voted on the bill last week, approving it by 269-82. The next step is for it to be passed off to the Senate and, if approved there, be sent to Governor Chris Sununu for his signature.
Sununu is not expected to put up any resistance. He has already said that he would most likely support sports gambling legislation in order to boost the state’s economy, and said last month that the revenue to the state from the activity is part of his annual budget.
HB 480 authorizes retail and mobile betting. Retail would allow towns, if they choose, to develop sportsbooks at existing commercial locations, including at resorts and bars. The bill would allow a maximum of ten venues across the state. Bets would be allowed on professional and college games, but wagers on local teams would be off limits.
Mobile betting is predicted to be a huge revenue generator for New Hampshire. Some projects have estimated the take to be between $1.5-$7.5 million in fiscal year 2021, with the money destined for the state’s education trust. By fiscal year 2023, that amount could reach as much as $13.5 million.
Opponents have tried to thwart efforts to legalize sports gambling, arguing that it would lead to greater addiction, despite the fact that there is no evidence to support that belief. Four years ago, there was enough evidence to show that this was a myth and Dr. Howard Shaffer, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School—as well as an expert on how gambling expansion impacts individuals—stated that there has been no evidence of more addiction in areas where sports gambling had been legalized.
The bill’s sponsors have countered the weak arguments, stating that legalizing the activity will bring sports gambling into light and allow for better consumer protection as opposed to what is now available in the black market sports gambling world. In addition, the bill authorizes 10% of the revenue generated for the state to go to treatment and prevention programs.
