New Hampshire House of Representatives has approved the bill to legalize sports betting online and on mobile on Thursday. This is the second time the law has been approved. However, after the first time, some changes were brought in by the Senate. Now, legal betting is only the governor’s signature away from going into action.
The new law will be regulated by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission (NHLC). It will select up to 5 mobile betting operators and a maximum of 10 retail operators.
Once the governor signs the bill, New Hampshire will be the latest state to join the ranks of legal sports wagering, the latest being Illinois. Among other states, New York is seriously considering the law at the moment. Meanwhile, Louisianna has rejected a similar bill recently.
Unlike Tennessee, where its governor has allowed the law to proceed without his signature, New Hampshire Gov. Sununu supports the bill. Therefore, it’s likely that we will see another state in the ranks of US states with legal sports wagering.
Taxes from sports betting would go to government-funded initiatives. For example, it is projected that $7.5m would be used for education in 2021 and $13.5m in 2023. The supporters of the law also mention that legalization would diminish the black market aspect of the industry. On top of that, responsible gambling initiatives would also be undertaken.