NASHUA – Whether you want to bet on NFL football, NBA basketball, Major League Baseball, soccer, UFC fighting, college sports, or just about any other athletic contest, you will be free to do so in New Hampshire.

“Sports betting is the right bet for New Hampshire,” Gov. Chris Sununu said Friday during a ceremony at which he signed House Bill 480, which legalizes gambling on sports.

The legislation creates a Division of Sports Wagering within the New Hampshire Lottery to oversee sports betting. Players will be prohibited from betting on games involving New Hampshire-based college teams, such as the University of New Hampshire or Dartmouth College. Participants also must be at least 18 years of age.

The law allows for mobile wagering via the internet through applications such as FanDuel and DraftKings. However, there will also be 10 brick-and-mortar sports book locations throughout the state.

Officials at both The River Casino & Sports Bar and Boston Billiard Club & Casino in Nashua said they are hopeful of obtaining licenses to offer sports betting.

“We plan on applying,” the River co-owner Jim Rafferty said. “There is a local option issue to be dealt with first, though.”

Indeed, HB 480 states that city leaders shall conduct a public hearing on the question of, “Shall we allow the operation of sports book retail locations within the town or city?”

If the city eventually allows sports betting, Rafferty said he would be optimistic about being one of the state’s 10 brick-and-mortar outlets.

“Sports betting is a tough business. A lot of people are really good at it,” Rafferty said. “The key is to get big pools of players.”

Over at Boston Billiard, Marketing Director Kevin McMahon said he is also somewhat optimistic.

“We will certainly apply for it. We think it would be a great addition to our business,” McMahon said.

State Leaders Optimistic

“I am proud to be the prime sponsor of this bill,” New Hampshire Rep. Timothy Lang, R-Sanbornton, said on Friday. “This bill brings sports betting – once treated as an illicit activity – into the light, and in doing so, increases the freedoms and protections of New Hampshire citizens.”

From the other side of aisle, state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, also praised the development.

“In order to remain competitive in the state-controlled gaming arena, there is a need for this legislation. It creates a framework for the operation that legalizes sports betting, establishes consumer protections for our citizens and calls for a competitive vendor bidding process to allow for maximized revenue return to the state,” D’Allesandro said.

“Sports betting represents an exciting new chapter for the New Hampshire Lottery and our loyal players. The New Hampshire Lottery is well-positioned to strategically administer sports betting to maximize revenue and to protect our consumers,” lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre said.

“With the exciting new addition of sports betting, the New Hampshire Lottery will continue to drive critical revenue, putting even more money into our educational system. Today’s action will provide financial support and important resources to help our public education system, which will benefit every child in every school across the state – a win for New Hampshire,” Sununu added.

Newsletter