New Hampshire Lawmakers Become Latest To Introduce Online Casino Bill
The Senate bill would make the legal age to play iCasino 18 and would have a 45% tax rate
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A new bill in the New Hampshire Senate aims to establish regulated online casino gambling in the state, with operations set to begin Jan. 1, 2026 should the bill pass.
Senate Bill 168-FN-LOCAL would permit between three and six online gaming operators to partner with existing New Hampshire casinos to bring iCasino to the Granite State.
The proposal includes a hefty 45% tax on gross gaming revenue, with the proceeds split between three funds: 25% to education, 25% to municipal reimbursements for tax exemptions, and 50% to the state’s general fund.
Another interesting wrinkle: The bill states “wager limits for daily, weekly, and monthly amounts consistent with the best practices in addressing problem gambling.” And while the bill doesn’t say what the “best practices” are, it would be interesting to see what the legislators come up with should the bill pass.
One more unique twist: The legal age to play iCasino in New Hampshire would be 18.
New Hampshire lawmakers came close with iCasino before; in 2023, a bill passed the Senate but stalled out in the House.
Typical bells and whistles
The new bill creates a framework for licensing online gaming operators, who must partner with licensed New Hampshire gaming facilities to offer their services. Each operator would need to provide typical age verification, identity checks, and geographic restrictions.
The New Hampshire Lottery Commission would oversee the program through a new division of online gaming wagering. Operators must submit annual security reports, maintain cash reserves, and implement responsible gambling measures including self-exclusion programs and betting limits.
The legislation prohibits operators from accepting bets from outside New Hampshire unless the state enters reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions. It also bars operators who accept revenue from countries under U.S. Treasury sanctions or from jurisdictions where online gambling is illegal.
Senators Timothy Lang, Daniel Innis, Howard Pearl, and Keith Murphy sponsored the bill, which is currently under review by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant has not yet completed its analysis of the bill’s fiscal impact.
This is just the latest of a flurry of online casino bills across the country. Among the notables: In New York, Sen. Joseph Addabbo filed a bill for the third straight year; Wyoming lawmakers introduced a bill last week that would charge operators $100,000 for five-year licenses; and Indiana’s proposed legislation would allow casinos and racetracks to partner with up to three online gaming operators at $500,000 per license.
