It appears that most of New Hampshire’s residents are on board with sports betting.
On Tuesday, residents in five New Hampshire cities voted to authorize land-based sports betting within their borders.
However, Nashua and Concord, two of New Hampshire’s biggest cities, voted against allowing land-based sports betting.
Which cities approved betting?
According to a report from WMUR, which contains the results of New Hampshire’s general election, New Hampshire’s largest city approved land-based sports betting. Voters in the city of Manchester approved sports betting with 9,549 votes in favor and 8,348 against.
Claremont also approved sports betting with 777 votes in favor and 536 against sports betting. Land-based sports betting will also be coming to Laconia after voters approved sports betting with 1,561 votes in favor and 1,480 against.
Somersworth was another of the five cities to legalize land-based betting with 647 votes for and 579 against.
The city of Berlin also voted in favor of sports betting but vote tallies are unavailable at this time.
What happens now?
Now that New Hampshire voters have had their say, the state Lottery will be able to move forward with launching sports betting.
The state is currently negotiating with DraftKings and Intralot after both companies scored the highest in the New Hampshire Lottery’s RFP process.
Although the companies both scored the highest, New Hampshire’s law allows up to five online sportsbooks to serve the state, meaning that other operators could also offer sports betting in New Hampshire.
Once the sports betting contracts have been drawn up, New Hampshire’s executive council will have to approve them. This is likely to be discussed at the council’s meeting on November 20.
The New Hampshire Lottery expects betting in the state to go live in the first quarter of 2020.
Sports betting in New Hampshire
In July, New Hampshire became the second New England state to legalize sports betting. Land-based, online and mobile sports betting is now legal under the state’s new law. The law allows the New Hampshire Lottery to award licenses to 10 land-based venues and five online and mobile sportsbooks.
Bettors in the Granite State must be 18 years old and can create online accounts remotely from anywhere within state lines. The bill also permits in-play sports betting via online platforms only.
However, New Hampshire’s betting law prohibits wagering on collegiate events that take place within state lines.
