New Hampshire, also known as the Granite State, offers a very limited range of gambling activities to visitors and residents. In the past, the state has opposed the idea of online gambling but with recent legislative efforts, it appears that lawmakers may be coming around to it. The state permits online sports betting, horse racing betting, the sale of lottery tickets online, and daily fantasy sports games. Let’s take a look at what the Granite State has to offer when it comes to sports betting.
NH sports betting regulation
Is it legal to bet on sports in New Hampshire?
Yes, sports wagering is legal, and live within the state of New Hampshire. The state legalized sports wagering in July 2019 with the passage of HB 480. The legislation authorized online, mobile, and land-based sports betting in the state. On top of this, the bill allowed for the formation of a Division of Sports Wagering within the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. This Division is responsible for overseeing sports betting in New Hampshire.
The law allows the New Hampshire Lottery to award licenses to 10 land-based venues and five online and mobile sportsbooks. However, in November 2019, the state lottery awarded DraftKings a contract to offer sports betting in the state after being selected through a competitive bidding process. Under the agreement with the state lottery, New Hampshire will receive 50% of the operator’s sports betting revenue. This will help support the Lottery’s mission to generate funds for education in the Granite State. Although the legislation allows for multiple operators to serve the state, it appears that DraftKings will serve as New Hampshire’s sole online sports betting operator.
The DraftKings sports betting app launched in the Granite State in January 2020.
Residents can also place pari-mutuel wagers on horse racing online via websites like TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires.
Where can I bet on sports in New Hampshire?
At the time of writing, New Hampshire bettors can only place sports bets online through the DraftKings sports betting app. Land-based betting has yet to go live in the state.
In November 2019, residents in five New Hampshire cities voted to authorize land-based sports betting within their borders. Nashua and Concord, two of New Hampshire’s biggest cities, voted against allowing land-based sports betting. The following cities approved land-based betting:
- Manchester
- Claremont
- Laconia
- Somersworth
- Berlin
Some sports betting games will also be available through the New Hampshire Lottery. These games will be provided by the Greek company, Intralot.
What sports can I bet on in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire residents can place legal wagers on a variety of sports such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, and golf. Residents can bet on both major league and collegiate sporting events.
However, New Hampshire’s betting law prohibits wagering on collegiate events that take place within state lines.
NH sports betting revenue
New Hampshire sports betting revenue
New Hampshire legalized sports betting in July 2019 and went on to launch mobile sports betting via the DraftKings sports betting app in early 2020. DraftKings was selected to operate the state’s betting platform through a competitive bidding process.
According to its bid, DraftKings proposed sharing 51% of sports betting revenue with the state.
Complete state reports can be accessed via the New Hampshire Lottery’s portal.
Last updated on 11th January 2022
| Month |
Handle |
Revenue |
Tax |
| December 2019 |
$360,726 |
$44,759 |
$19,403 |
| January 2020 |
$16,834,974 |
$1,643,793 |
$713,311 |
| February 2020 |
$22,130,928 |
$1,359,395 |
$613,679 |
| March 2020 |
$8,768,769 |
$818,605 |
$394,229 |
| April 2020 |
$3,774,668 |
$262,393 |
$126,090 |
| May 2020 |
$7,180,450 |
$424,947 |
$187,743 |
| June 2020 |
$8,138,772 |
$691,103 |
$313,156 |
| July 2020 |
$11,623,208 |
$1,268,688 |
$602,156 |
| August2020 |
$27,496,050 |
$1,367,516 |
$607,910 |
| September 2020 |
$41,373,620 |
$2,290,364 |
$990,885 |
| October 2020 |
$47,055,486 |
$4,203,875 |
$2,001,597 |
| November 2020 |
$46,523,447 |
$4,770,459 |
$2,323,843 |
| December 2020 |
$51,649,897 |
$4,537,653 |
$2,137,406 |
| January 2021 |
$59,795,433 |
$4,197,029 |
$1,866,506 |
| February 2021 |
$50,995,349 |
$1,787,930 |
$768,387 |
| March 2021 |
$55,800,096 |
$4,254,732 |
$1,925,260 |
| April 2021 |
$46,700,713 |
$3,302,340 |
$1,480,847 |
| May 2021 |
$42,367,381 |
$3,115,230 |
$1,433,622 |
| June 2021 |
$39,268,179 |
$3,869,773 |
$1,797,118 |
| July 2021 |
$36,724,165 |
$3,062,545 |
$1,468,578 |
| August 2021 |
$36,319,740 |
$1,594,235 |
$723,016 |
| September 2021 |
$68,123,241 |
$4,420,924 |
$1,887,442 |
| October 2021 |
$98,191,306 |
$5,409,197 |
$2,560,651 |
| November 2021 |
$83,168,812 |
$6,172,586 |
$2,926,241 |
| Total |
$910,365,410 |
$64,870,071 |
$29,870,076 |
What else can I bet on in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire’s gambling offering is fairly limited. Residents in the state can play the state lottery which offers a variety of games as well as interstate drawings. Lottery tickets can also be purchased online. In addition to sports betting, the state permits real money fantasy sports games and online horse racing betting.
Commercial and online casinos may be illegal in New Hampshire but that doesn’t mean residents can’t play a variety of casino-style games. A handful of smaller gambling venues called ‘card rooms’ operate in the state and are classed as a form of charitable gambling, as the profits go towards good causes in the state. These venues offer a range of casino-style games, such as:
- Poker
- Roulette
- Blackjack
- Bingo
Tribal gambling venues are also legal in the state of New Hampshire but there aren’t any tribal gambling venues currently operating in the state.
Are offshore gambling sites legal in New Hampshire?
Offshore gambling sites are technically illegal in New Hampshire. Although state law does not specifically mention offshore gambling sites, online gambling is illegal in the state (with the exception of horse racing and fantasy sports). As offshore gambling sites are a form of illegal gambling, they fall under the umbrella of unlawful gambling.
Aside from the legality of offshore gambling sites, we recommend avoiding them as these sites aren’t regulated and don’t have permission to serve US customers. As offshore sites aren’t regulated, they are not subject to basic regulatory standards in the state. This means that offshore sites may not have implemented industry-standard security and player protection measures. There’s also no guarantee that your funds will be safe unlike regulated US betting sites. Whereas licensed operators usually hold player money in accounts separate from their own, or that of any other players, there’s no guarantee you’ll have this protection with an unlicensed gambling operator.
You can spot offshore gambling sites by looking at the website’s domain name – domains ending in .EU or .AG aren’t licensed to operate in New Hampshire.
Is it safe to bet on sports in New Hampshire?
Yes, the state places a strong emphasis on player protection and this is reflected within the state’s sports wagering regulations. The regulations were crafted with player protection, safety and fair play in mind. However, bettors still have a responsibility to make sure they are gambling within reason. To ensure that gambling remains fun and safe, bettors should never gamble more than they can afford to or chase losses. If you feel that gambling is having a negative effect in your life, or that you may be suffering from problem gambling there are several resources available to you.
The National Council on Problem Gambling has several resources to help identify gambling addiction and runs a national helpline. New Hampshire’s residents can also reach out to the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling, a private non-profit agency that aims to tackle the spread of problem gambling through education and prevention services.
You can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline via:
Call: +1-800-522-4700
Text: +1-800-522-4700
Live Chat
You can contact the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling via:
Call: +1-603-724-1605
Email: [email protected]
Get Help
Who regulates gambling in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire’s Racing and Charitable Gaming Division is responsible for overseeing the fantasy sports games, wagering on horse racing, and charitable gambling activities. The state lottery is overseen by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. Sports betting is overseen by the Division of Sports Wagering within the New Hampshire Lottery.
In New Hampshire, residents must be 18 years old to bet on sports, play the lottery, and bingo. The legal age for betting on horse racing and playing at card rooms is 21.
NH sports betting history
The journey to legal and regulated sports betting in New Hampshire
1784 – New Hampshire’s Constitution came into effect. Within the constitution, it stated that lottery revenue was restricted to funding educational programs only.
1906 –New Hampshire’s first race track, Rockingham Park, opened its doors. However, betting on races was never legalized. illegal.
1933 – In April, New Hampshire legalized the first ever form of gambling in the state by authorizing pari-mutuel wagering on horse and greyhound racing. Within two months of legalization, Rockingham Park hosted the first legal betting event in the state.
1949 – The state revised its regulations, authorizing bingo and pull-tab games.
1953 – Representative Larry Pickket introduced a bill that would create America’s first-ever state lottery program. The bill failed to receive enough support to progress past the introductory stages.
1963 – On its fifth attempt, Pickket’s lottery bill was successful and in April New Hampshire’s governor signed the bill into law.
1964 – In March, a special election was held where voters decided if they wanted their district to take part in the state lottery. 198 of the state’s 211 municipalities voted to join the lottery. Two days after the vote, the first state lottery tickets went on sale.
1971 – The state’s Greyhound Racing Commission was formed.
1977 – Lawmakers approved legislation allowing casino-style games of chance such as roulette to take place, as long as the proceeds were allocated to charitable organizations.
1982 – The State Racing Commission merged with the Greyhound Racing Commission to form the Pari-Mutuel Commission. This body oversees greyhound racing and horse racing.
1991 – The state granted licensed horse racing tracks permission to offer wagers on races broadcast from other venues.
1992 – Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) placing a federal ban on sports betting across the nation. Oregon, Nevada, Delaware and Montana were granted a partial exemption from PASPA, as these states already had laws in place for legal sports betting.
1995 – New Hampshire joined the Multi-State Lottery Association allowing the state to participate in inter-state lottery games.
2009 – Live greyhound racing was banned, and live horse racing ended after the state stopped funding the activity.
2012 – Lawmakers voted to ban Internet sweepstakes, banning subscription-based gambling offerings available online.
2014 – A bill that sought to authorize two full-scale commercial casinos was defeated by a narrow vote of 173 to 172 in the House.
2017 – In January, New Hampshire Representative Gary Azarian introduced a bill to legalize daily fantasy sports. The bill received final approval in July 2017, legalizing real money daily fantasy sports games
2018 – On 14 May, the Supreme Court reached a decision in the legal battle between New Jersey and the US sports leagues. In a seven to two vote, it was agreed that one of the clauses in PASPA violated the Tenth Amendment, as it commandeered power from states to regulate their own gambling industries. This paved the way for all US states to decide whether or not sports betting should be legalized. In the weeks after the repeal of PASPA, a number of US sportsbooks launched across the country.
2019 – In January, two sports betting bills were introduced in New Hampshire. HB 480 and SB 310 would both legalize sports betting in New Hampshire, but SB 310 goes one step further and would have legalized casino gambling in the state.
In November, HB 480, was signed into law by Governor Chris Sununu after lawmakers approved the sports betting measure in June. Shortly after the passage of the bill, residents in five New Hampshire cities voted to authorize land-based sports betting within their borders.
At the end of November in 2019, DraftKings was awarded a sports betting contract to offer sports betting after being selected through a competitive bidding process.
2020 – On 1 January, the New Hampshire Lottery and its partner DraftKings officially launched online and mobile sports betting operations in the Granite State.
For the latest updates on sports betting in New Hampshire check back with Compare.bet.
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