New Hampshire Getting Standalone Sports Betting Shops?

January 14, 2019 Petar Mitrovic

The legislation which would allow the creation of the first standalone sports betting retail shops in the nation has been issued in New Hampshire.

On Thursday, the state’s House of Representatives introduced the legislation called HB 480…

…with the aim to establish a system that will regulate online and mobile sports betting as well as land-based wagering.

The newly-planned system will fall under the state’s Lottery Commission and the new Division is expected to be formed. The Commission is then to decide whether they want to offer this form of gambling directly to the customers or through an authorized Sports Betting Agent. Both options are on the table and both can be implemented.

Either way, it will happen via “the use of mobile internet devices and through physical sports book retail establishments.”

The reason why this is interesting and it is stressed out is because there aren’t any brick-and mortar casinos in the state of New Hampshire.

What Does this Mean?

This means that they would have to create UK-styled betting shops of the streets of the cities…

…and this is something you will not find anywhere else in the US! Even Nevada lacks these, although, truth be told, they used to feature automated betting kiosks in pubs and bars, but this lasted until mobile wagering developed, making them redundant.

Regulation Specifics

The situation in this north-eastern state is unique and the cities and towns would be obliged to create a ballot referendum in order to approve the installation of such shops in the first place. No matter what municipalities decide, they would not have the power to interfere with the state’s digital betting operation.

Moreover, no person under the age of 18 would be allowed to wager…

…whereas the state will permit betting on the collegiate events that involve New Hampshire teams or happen in the state.

There’s More:

If the Commission decides to push this through, the state will be able to hire vendors to manage these standalone shop. In case a betting agent is hired, a share of the betting revenue will circle back to the state and 10% out of that sum will be allocated to responsible gambling programs.

The legislature will have a chance to approve of the bill by July 1…

…after which a Request For Proposal process cumulates with a selection of a betting agent. This will have happened by January 1st 2020. The first wagers in New Hampshire are expected by July 1st, 2020.