New Hampshire State Gambling Guide

New Hampshire is void of both commercial and tribal casinos. This isn’t to
say that they completely lack gambling, though.

The Granite State has some smaller gaming venues that offer blackjack, craps
and poker. But these strip mall and bar-based clubs aren’t exactly what most
people envision with regard to casinos.

Given New Hampshire’s lack of casinos, it’s no surprise that they don’t offer
a regulated online gaming market. But what is surprising, is that there are
serious efforts to legalize the activity.

When can we expect this to happen? We’ll cover New Hampshire’s potential
regulated iGaming market in the next section.

Rank	VA Gambling Site	Deposit Bonus	Products	Get Started
#1	Las Atlantis	280% Up To $14,000	Casino	Visit Site
#2	Wild Casino	250% Up To $5,000	Casino	Visit Site
#3	BetUS	125% Up To $2,500	Sports Casino	Visit Site
#4	BetOnline	50% Up To $1,000	Sports Casino Poker	Visit Site
#5	Bovada	50% Up To $250	Sports Casino Poker	Visit Site

Online Gambling and New Hampshire Law

New Hampshire hasn’t taken a stance for or against Internet gaming. Instead,
they’re in a grey zone that has opened them up to offshore casinos.

Before we continue discussing this matter, let’s look at how section 637:2
II(d) of New Hampshire’s constitution defines gaming:

“To risk something of value upon a future contingent event not under one’s
control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that something of value
will be received in the event of a certain outcome.”

Under New Hampshire law, any form of gambling not approved by the state is
illegal; but the lack of words like “computer,” “Internet” and “mobile device”
leaves some room for interpretation here.

Let’s discuss these interpretations below while answering some important
questions about New Hampshire iGaming.

Is Online Gambling Legal in New Hampshire?

Internet gaming isn’t legal in the Granite State. But as discussed above,
it’s not explicitly illegal either.

The U.S. government has never banned iGaming on a federal level. The closest
thing to a ban is the
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which prevents American
financial institutions form processing iGaming transactions.

Many offshore casinos have found a legal way around this, including the
unregulated cryptocurrency known as Bitcoin.

Another point worth mentioning is the

Federal Wire Act of 1961, which bans certain types of gaming across state
lines.

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice was asked to give their
interpretation of the Federal Wire Act, and they stated that it only applies to
sports betting, meaning online casino games and poker sites aren’t inherently
illegal.

Ultimately, the federal government leaves it up to states to decide how to
handle Internet gaming, and New Hampshire hasn’t banned the activity in their
criminal code.

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in New Hampshire?

The Granite State has never arrested anybody for gambling online, and we
don’t foresee them doing so at any point in the future.

In fact, it’s very rare for any state to pursue legal action against an
online gambler – even when the activity is banned.

New Hampshire generally tolerates Internet gaming and doesn’t even have any
criminal language aimed at operators. Therefore, we can’t see a realistic
scenario where you’d be arrested for iGaming in New Hampshire.

Are Offshore Gaming Sites Legal in New Hampshire?

Offshore casinos are mostly located in Antigua & Barbuda, Costa Rica, Curacao
and Panama. These jurisdictions offer licenses to offshore companies along with
mild oversight.

These licenses do not, however, apply to New Hampshire or any other U.S.
state. This means that offshore gaming sites aren’t technically legal in the
Granite State.

New Hampshire fails to directly address individuals or companies who offer
Internet gaming. In fact, we don’t see one piece of language in their criminal
code that covers online gaming operators.

Much like iGaming itself, offshore casinos also lie in New Hampshire’s grey
area.

Are Offshore Gaming Sites Safe?

The troubling thing about offshore casinos is that they aren’t subject to
U.S. government regulations. This means that an online casino or sportsbook
could close up in the middle of the night and avoid honoring player deposits.

This doomsday scenario is really rare in the gaming world. Successful
Internet casinos and poker sites need repeat business, which is only gained
through good service.

Follow the tips provided under the next question in order to choose quality
offshore gaming sites that won’t rip you off.

How do I Find a Good Online Casino?

Here are some crucial factors that you want to look at before depositing at
an offshore site:

• Longevity & Reputability

These two aspects go hand-in-hand because you
want a reputable site that’s been in business for a while. The longer track
record of success they have, the higher the chances are that you’re dealing
with a good company.

• Plenty of Games / Lines

Everybody loves variety, and this is why it
pays to pick an online casino/poker site with a wide range of games and a
sportsbook that offers countless lines.

• Welcome Bonus w / Reasonable Requirements

Any decent online casino or
poker room will offer a signup bonus. But how realistic are the wagering
requirements behind earning the bonus? Lighter requirements mean that you
have a better chance to collect your bonus cash.

• Frequent Promotions

Promos are great because they offer you an
opportunity to earn extra cash. This is why you should check out the
promotions section at any online casino, poker room or sportsbook you’re
interested in.

• Tournaments

Casino and poker tournaments are a fun way to spice up
your gaming. Check to see what kind of tourneys are offered at prospective
casinos and poker sites.

• Customer Service

Every quality gaming site should have good customer
support. If a company doesn’t offer this, then it’s a huge red flag.

• Deposit Options

One more crucial aspect to look at is the
banking options. Most New Hampshire-friendly casinos and poker rooms take
Bitcoin, Visa and/or Mastercard.

Also On This Page

More Gambling Laws in New Hampshire

• Casino Games: Illegal
• Sports Betting: Illegal
• Poker: Legal
• Racing Betting: Legal
• Lottery: Legal
• Bingo: Legal
• Charitable Gaming: Legal
• Social Gambling: Illegal

Casinos: Illegal

---

Most U.S. states have either commercial casinos or tribal casino – But not New
Hampshire, which remains without a major casino within it’s borders.

In 2009, Gov. John Lynch created the New Hampshire Gaming Study Commission to
assess the economic and social impact of commercial casinos. The following year,
the commission stated that casinos create new jobs,
but they also bring about social problems.

In 2012, Gov. Maggie Hassan promised during her election campaign that she
would work to get casinos legalized. Hassan lived up to her campaign promise in
office, but her efforts failed to garner the necessary support.

In In 2014, the State House defeated casino legislation by a slim 173-172
margin.

Charitable Gaming: Legal

---

While New Hampshire doesn’t have any casinos, they do have some of the
most-liberal charity gambling laws in the U.S.

In fact, approved businesses/organizations can offer Vegas style gaming like
table games and poker. But there are a few catches to worry about:

• Businesses must partner with charities and donate 35% of revenue.
• Betting limits for every game except poker are capped at $4 per
  round.
• Slot machines are not permitted for charity purposes (Section
  287-D:1 III).

These rules may sound restrictive, but then again, New Hampshire is one of
the few states to allow charity blackjack, craps, roulette and three-card poker.

Essentially, the Granite State has a number of mini casinos floating around.
This is a far cry from the mega-casino resorts in nearby Massachusetts, but it’s
better than nothing.

Section 647:1 IV(a) discusses what counts as a qualified charity group:

“… means any bona fide religious, charitable, civic, veterans’, or fraternal
or church organization, including police and firemen’s organizations which shall
have been registered with the secretary of state for at least 2 years.”

Lottery: Legal

---

New Hampshire was the first in America to launch a lottery, doing so in 1964.
Today, they sell a variety of tickets, including Gimme 5, Hot Lotto, Lucky For
Life, Mega Millions, Pick3, Pick4, Powerball and Tri-State Megabucks.

One interesting thing about the New Hampshire Lottery is that players can
purchase subscriptions, where they continue receiving tickets on a regular
basis.

Poker: Legal

---

Poker is legal under New Hampshire’s charity gaming laws. This has led to the
opening of several poker clubs around the state.

This includes the 4Jacks Poker Room, Aces and Eights Poker Room and Casino,
Manchester Poker Room, Poker Room at One Lafayette and Seabrook Greyhound Park
and Poker Room.

Racing: Legal

---

New Hampshire used to offer both legal greyhound and horse racing, but
they’ve since banned greyhound racing – like many other states – and no longer
run live horse races for lack of support.

Residents can still bet on simulcast racing, though, with facilities at
Rockingham Park and Seabrook Greyhound Park.

Social Gambling: Illegal

---

This state is one of the few that outright bans social gaming. Section 647:2
I.A(a) of the criminal code discusses this as follows:

“A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if such person knowingly and unlawfully:
(a) Permits gambling in any place under the person’s control.”

The phrase “any place under the person’s control” can mean somebody’s home,
business or rental property.

Given that New Hampshire doesn’t address social gambling at any other point
in their constitution, private poker games and other gaming functions should be
considered illegal.

Gambling Venues in New Hampshire

New Hampshire may not be the most-liberal state in regard to gambling, but
they do have numerous charity gaming venues.

These establishments operate much like smaller casinos. Some differences,
though, include that they can’t offer slot machines and 35% of their profits
must go to charity.

The lack of slot machines will be a turn-off to some players, but then again,
it’s hard to complain when you have access to a number of Vegas-style games like
blackjack, craps, roulette and poker.

Here are a few of the largest charity gambling businesses found in New
Hampshire:

History of Gambling in New Hampshire

As covered earlier, New Hampshire was the first state to launch a modern
lottery. They’re also noted for creating very liberal charity gaming laws in the
1970s.

But New Hampshire’s gambling history begins earlier than this. The first type
of gaming that they legalized was pari-mutuel betting in 1933.

Like in many other parts of the U.S., pari-mutuel betting was very successful
in New Hampshire, but the racing industry began declining when charity casinos
and other forms of gaming became more prevalent.

By 2013, all live racing ceased due to poor financial performance.

State politicians began exploring commercial gaming in the late 2000s. The
matter came to a House vote in 2014, being defeated by one vote.

New Hampshire has remained the same in terms of gambling since then, but it’s
possible that we could see changes in the future.

New Hampshire Gambling FAQ

As stated earlier, the Granite State has no legal language that either
approves or bans online gaming. This makes New Hampshire a grey area where
residents can access many offshore casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks.

Of course, as with any grey area, there are numerous questions surrounding
New Hampshire’s iGaming market. Let’s explore some of the most-frequently asked
questions about their online gaming scene.

Additional Resources

The main gaming authorities in New Hampshire include the Racing and
Charitable Gaming Division and the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. They also
have a Gaming Regulatory Oversight Authority that weighs in on gambling matters.

Here’s a closer look at each of these organizations.

• Racing and Charitable Gaming Division

The Charitable Gaming Division is actually a division of the Lottery
Commission. They preside over charity casinos, poker rooms and simulcast racing.
The Charitable Gaming Division used to govern live racing too, but the horse
tracks are only used for charitable gaming facilities now.

• New Hampshire Lottery Commission

The NH Lottery Commission is the state’s primary gaming authority, managing
all of the lottery products and payouts. They’re also the parent organization of
the Charitable Gaming Division.

• New Hampshire Gaming Regulatory Oversight Authority

The Oversight Authority oversees gaming activities to ensure fair gaming and
ensure public confidence in the state’s gambling industry.

The Future & Your Views

New Hampshire’s online gaming market is a total grey area.

They have no bans against Internet casino games, poker rooms, sportsbooks and
DFS sites. This makes the Granite State a good place for anybody who’s into
iGaming.

State politicians are currently discussing DFS regulation and decriminalizing
online gaming.

Neither measure seems needed right now due to the lack of bans, but it would
be nice to have the clarification that both forms of gaming are completely fine.

Odds are that New Hampshire won’t be legalizing and regulating their own
online gaming market any time soon. They don’t have any commercial casinos,
which have proven necessary in forming partnerships with regulated U.S. gaming
sites.

The Granite State will likely keep the status quo, which includes charitable
casinos, poker rooms and a lottery. At least the legislature is discussing
online gaming matters for future years, which could be a very good thing.