The New Hampshire committee did move forward SB 60, an advance deposit wagering bill that would allow for pari-mutuel wagering regulated by the lottery.
SB 168, the online gambling bill, would allow for icasino with platforms tethered to brick-and-mortar gaming venues. Each physical casino would be entitled to one skin. Bill sponsor Tim Lang said that online gaming would be taxed and regulated in the same way as New Hampshire’s current in-person gambling market.
Lang said the estimated tax revenue to the state would be $39 million (£31.1 million/€37.4 million). He did offer an amendment to his bill after he said he inadvertently left charitable gaming out. The amendment was approved.
This is the second time that Lang has brought a legal igaming bill to the general court. He said that tethering to casinos is the key difference from previous bills.
Charitable gaming opposed
During the public hearing for the igaming bill there were two witnesses, both of whom spoke against the bill. Alicia Preston of New Hampshire Charitable Gaming Association said her group opposes the bill because it will pull foot traffic away from brick-and-mortar locations.
“The brick-and-mortars have invested an enormous amount of money, energy and infrastructure to exist,” she testified. “While tethering them to the online gaming will give them some financial benefit, it also will take away that street traffic.”
She went on to say the food-and-beverage sector would also be affected because if consumers don’t visit the gaming venues, they will also not be spending on those other offerings. Preston said that while she believes that online gambling would provide some benefit to charitable gaming, she fears job losses and other effects digital gambling will have on physical locations.
NH needs more PG funding
The other witness was problem and responsible gambling advocate Brianne Doura-Schawohl on behalf of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling. Doura-Schawohl argued that the introduction of online gambling would increase the instances of gambling addiction in New Hampshire.
Doura-Schawohl also called out New Hampshire lawmakers for the limited funding that the state currently allocates for problem and responsible gambling initiatives. She said that NH ranks 39th out of 43 legal gambling states in terms of funding.
She said the state now earmarks $100,000 for addiction programmes, as compared to $22 million per year in neighbouring Massachusetts. The population in Massachusetts is five times that of New Hampshire. If NH wanted to match the Bay State, it would funnel $4.4 million to problem and responsible gambling initiatives. She also said the average per capita earmark is 45 cents per person. New Hampshire allocates less than 10 cents.
New Hampshire’s legislative session runs through 30 June. Lang, the committee chairman, said he is aiming to discuss and vote on bills in committee next week.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/gaming/online-casino/new-hampshire-igaming-hearing/
