New Hampshire could become the next state legalize sports betting after the House passed a comprehensive sports betting bill last week.
Lawmakers in the state passed an amended version of HB 480 with a vote of 269 in favor and 82 against. The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.
If the bill is successful, it would permit full-scale sports betting within the state of New Hampshire.
Under the proposed legislation, the New Hampshire Lottery would be granted permission to offer sports betting at land-based sports betting venues and via online and mobile platforms.
The bill also sets a limit of 10 land-based sports betting venues, established a council for responsible gambling and defines a “prohibited event” to bet on.
New Hampshire bettors will not be able to bet on the outcome of events involving New Hampshire’s college teams.
According to the bill, local voters will be required to vote on whether or not to authorize land-based sports betting venues. However, they will have no say when it comes to statewide mobile and online sports betting.
If New Hampshire legalizes sports betting it will become the second New England state to authorize sports betting after Rhode Island legalized the activity last year.
Rhode Island is currently on the verge of expanding its sports betting regulations to permit mobile sports betting within the state.
The other two New England states, Massachusetts and Connecticut, both have sports betting bills on file but no action has been taken in either state.
New Hampshire’s legislative session will run until 30 June 2019.
