Sports Betting To Enter Nashua, New Hampshire With Voter Approval

• There are now seven cities in the state that have decided to put New Hampshire sports betting on the upcoming November ballot.
• According to NH HB 480, the New Hampshire sports betting bill that passed earlier this summer, there can only be 10 retail sportsbooks in the entire state.
• State-wide mobile sports betting in New Hampshire also became legal with the passing of NH HB 480.

NASHUA, N.H. – Sports bettors from Massachusetts may soon be flocking to Nashua in order to place their bets. Last week, Nashua’s Board of Alderman unanimously decided to put N.H. sports betting on the upcoming November 5 ballot. If passed, Nashua could apply to have legal sportsbooks in the Granite State.

Nashua, which sits on the border of Massachusetts, is seen by lottery officials as an ideal place to house this new gaming activity.

“The best kind of money is out-of-state money,” said Charlie Mclntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery to the New Hampshire Union Leader. “So I can’t negotiate contracts ahead of time, but certainly that is where our heads are at.”

NH HB 480, the sports betting bill which was signed earlier this year by NH Governor Chris Sununu, allows up to 10 land-based sportsbooks in New Hampshire. But, before they can be authorized by the state lottery, local residents will have to vote on whether or not they want a sportsbook in their city.

Nashua joins six other cities in the state that have officially decided to put legal sports betting on the November ballot.

Other notable municipalities that will let their residents decide the fate of this issue are Concord, Manchester, Laconia, Franklin, Berlin, and Dover. Dover was the first of any city in the state to take the initiative of putting sports betting up for a vote.

The retail locations that are selected would have to partner with the state Lottery. But, Jim Rafferty, the general manager at The River Casino and Sports Bar in Nashua, believes that his charitable gaming facility would make a great place for sports bettors.

“Nashua has led the way in Keno, and we think we should lead the way here in sports betting,” said Rafferty.

The debate for which retail establishments will offer sports betting in New Hampshire will heat up after the November vote. But voters should keep in mind the entire implications of NH HB 480, as up to five mobile sports betting apps will also be available in the state.

These apps, along with no sales tax in New Hampshire, will likely be the key features that draw in out-of-state bettors. The New Hampshire Lottery is accepting applications for sports gambling operators from now until the end of the month. A sportsbook launch isn’t expected until early 2020.

News tags: Charlie Mclntyre | Jim Rafferty | Massachusetts | Nashua | New Hampshire | NH HB 480