Summary:
- Lawmakers rejected HB 83, which sought to raise the sports betting age to 21.
- The House Ways and Means Committee voted 11-7 against the bill.
- The state remains one of four U.S. jurisdictions allowing 18-year-olds to place bets.
- SB 168, a bill to legalize online gambling with a minimum age of 18, is now under consideration.
New Hampshire lawmakers have decided not to raise the legal sports betting age from 18 to 21. On January 27, the House Ways and Means Committee voted 11-7 against advancing HB 83, effectively ending the proposal.
New Hampshire is one of only four jurisdictions, alongside Kentucky, Wyoming and Washington, D.C., where 18-year-olds are allowed to place bets.
Rep. Aures: “I See It As a Liberty Issue for Young People”
Opinions were divided during the committee’s executive session. Representative Thomas Schamberg supported the bill, comparing it to other age-restricted activities.
I think it is important that we make a statement about the age limit like we have about alcohol, tobacco products, and vapes. Basically, I am supporting the age of 21 in New Hampshire
However, the majority sided with Representative Cyril Aures, who emphasized personal freedom.
I’d just like to say that I see it as a liberty issue for young people. If they want to bet with their money, let them bet
Raising the legal betting age would have applied solely to sports betting, as other forms of gambling in New Hampshire, including charitable gaming, already allow participants aged 18 and over.
According to the bill’s fiscal note, such a change would have cost the state $320,000 in 2026 and $640,000 annually thereafter due to lost tax revenue.
Senator Lang’s Bill Could Allow Online Gambling at 18
While HB 83 is off the table, the Granite State may still see fresh changes in online gaming.
Namely, SB 168, a bill proposing the legalization of online gambling, is currently awaiting a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The bill, introduced on January 9, is sponsored by Senator Tim Lang, who was instrumental in passing New Hampshire’s sports betting legislation.
The proposed legislation would allow up to six digital gaming platforms with a 45% tax rate on gross gaming revenue (GGR).
Notably, the bill sets the legal gambling age at 18, which would make New Hampshire the only state in the U.S. to permit 18-year-olds to engage in online casino gaming.
The New Hampshire Lottery, which is already responsible for supervising sports betting, would be the body that would regulate the proposed online gambling platforms provided SB 168 turns into law.
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