New Hampshire state Rep. Tim Lang has introduced HB 480, a bill that would legalize sports betting, and would include mobile devices and the internet. The Ways and Means Committee of the House has scheduled a hearing on February 7.
The bill could be moved to House floor, or die a quiet death in committee. It is a comprehensive bill that would create a regulatory body and spell out how municipalities could allow a sports book operation within their jurisdiction. It would ban college sports betting.
This is the first time that the Granite State, which has generally had a rock hard opposition to gaming expansion, has mulled a sports betting bill. But it does have the example of neighboring Rhode Island, which introduced sports betting at two casinos just after Thanksgiving.
The state has no casinos, but does have several horse racing tracks and the NASCAR New Hampshire Raceway, all of which might host sports betting.
Lang estimates the state could collect as much as $7.5 million in taxes by 2021 and $13.5 by 2023, assuming the bill passes by summer and bets can be taken by 2021.
