New Hampshire online casino gambling is once again on the state Senate agenda. This year, state Sen. Timothy P. Lang Sr., R-Sanbornton, requested a bill be drafted on Nov. 30.
Now called LSR2957, the legislative service request from Lang asks the Office of Legislative Services to draft a bill. Once crafted, the bill “relative to advanced deposit account wagering” will receive a docket number. For instance, last year’s New Hampshire online casino bill was SB104.
That 2023 iGaming bill passed the New Hampshire Senate, then died in a House committee.
3 Co-Sponsors Join Lang
While the New Hampshire online casino bill’s details aren’t available yet, the names of Lang’s co-sponsors are listed on LSR2957.
In addition to Lang, the Senators requesting a bill be drafted are the following:
- Bill Gannon, R-Sandown
- Howard Pearl, R-Loudon
- David Watters, D-Dover
Gannon was excused from the 12-11 Senate vote on the 2023 bill, which he also sponsored. Pearl and Watters’ “yea” responses are recorded for the measure they sponsored.
At the time, Gannon had been concerned about iGaming possibly cannibalizing charitable gaming revenue. In New Hampshire, retail casinos are known as charitable gaming establishments because money from them goes to charity.
Considering he’s co-sponsoring LSR2957, he may have rethought those concerns.
If the bill is drafted and approved in 2024, the New Hampshire iGaming operator will likely be DraftKings (DraftKings 39,49 +2,73%). Currently, DraftKings Sportsbook is the only sports betting operator in the state that legalized that form of gambling in 2019.
2024 iGaming Groundwork Unannounced
Meanwhile, Lang isn’t posting about the New Hampshire online casino bill draft on social media.
Instead, he’s taking selfies with Republican presidential candidates visiting New Hampshire before its upcoming “first in the nation” primary.
So far, he and Pearl posed with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Earlier, Lang took a selfie with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
That’s a different type of first draft of history.
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