Online Gambling in New Hampshire
- Legal online gambling options: Sports
- Legal gambling age: 18
- Who regulates gambling in New Hampshire? New Hampshire Lottery Commission
- Legal mobile gambling: Yes
- Do I need to physically be in New Hampshire to gamble? Yes
- Do I need to be a resident of New Hampshire to gamble? No
- Sports not available to wager: High school, esports
New Hampshire supports and promotes responsible gambling.
Quick Facts:
- New Hampshire legalized sports betting in 2019.
- Estimates for New Hampshire sports betting in annual handle is just over $200 million annually.
- There are no land-based casinos in New Hampshire.
- The last racetrack in New Hampshire in Rockingham Park stopped live racing in 2010 and stopped simulcast racing in 2016.
- The bill that legalized sports betting in New Hampshire was HB 480 was signed into state law by Governor Chris Sununu on July 12, 2019.
- According to sports betting bill HB 480, the state allows for 10 land-based sportsbooks and five online operators.
- As of July 2020, DraftKings is the only state-regulated online sportsbook.
A Brief History of Gambling in NH
New Hampshire does not have a long history of gambling, and most of it in the last century or so has been in terms of horse racing. However, as of July 2020, there are no more racetracks in the Granite State.
In 2018 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which made sports betting legal on a state-by-state basis.
Sports betting became legal in New Hampshire after Governor Chris Sununu signed bill HB 480 into law on July 12, 2019. The law stated that New Hampshire had allowances for 10 retail (land-based) sportsbooks and five online sportsbook operators.
New Hampshire therefore became the second state in the New England area (after Rhode Island) to legalize sports betting.
In March of 2020, 15 towns in the state voted on whether or not to allow retail sportsbooks. The 10 that voted to have them are:
- Belmont
- Derry
- Hampton
- Hinsdale
- Hudson
- Newmarket
- Pelham
- Rollinsford
- Salem
- Seabrook
While New Hampshire had the allowance for five online sportsbooks, the only one it tendered was DraftKings. This is because DraftKings would give 51% of the sports betting revenue from their online sportsbook to the state.
This is unlike other states that legalized sports betting with a pre-set tax on sports wagers rather than the revenue-sharing deal it has with DraftKings.
With the deal, DraftKings also has the right to build retail sportsbooks. While the Boston-based company has retail sportsbooks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and West Virginia, the company does not have any concrete plans as of July 2020 for retail sportsbooks in New Hampshire.
According to estimates, sports betting in New Hampshire could bring in an annual handle of just over $200 million and a revenue stream of $14 million.
Sports Betting in New Hampshire
DraftKings New Hampshire is the only state-regulated online sportsbook in New Hampshire, but that may change in the future.
Setting Up an Online Gambling Account
It is very easy to set up an online gambling account in New Hampshire. All you will need is to have few essential details at hand and a few minutes to fill in a simple online form.
The information that you will need to provide may include:
- Full name
- Full home address
- Date of birth
- E-mail Address
- Cell phone number
- Social Security Number (last four digits)
- A valid payment method
- Username
- Password
Head to the site that you want to join and click on the signup or 'create account' link. You will then be taken to a form that you will need to complete.
Fill in the form as instructed. You may be asked for further information to verify your identity. Often you can provide a gas or utility bill, bank statement, passport, or driver’s license for this purpose.
Next, you will need to create a username and password. These can be of your own choosing but do make sure that your password is unique to this site, and not one that you already use elsewhere.
The online gambling site will send you a confirmation e-mail to the e-mail address provided so that you can confirm your account. Click the link in the email and your account will be good to go.
Funding Your Account
Before you can make any bet with real money, you must first make a deposit. You have a lot of options when it comes to payment methods for online gambling in New Hampshire.
When it comes to the lone regulated online gambling site in New Hampshire of DraftKings sportsbook, the main banking methods are:
- Credit/debit cards including Visa and Mastercard
- Online bank transfer
- PayPal
- NETELLER
- ACH eCheck
- PayNearMe (PayNearMe is a service offered in local New Hampshire stores like 7/11, so there is an option to make your first deposit in cash if you would like.)
A Word on Bonuses
You can often pad your bankroll with money from a welcome bonus, or any other type of bonus, but there will be wagering requirements attached to them.
It is vital that you read up on wagering requirements before you opt in to any bonus. Bonuses are a great way to pad your bankroll, but while they can be lucrative, you have to know it is not free money.
For example, let’s say you see a match bonus of 100% up to $500 with a wagering requirement of 20x. You will get a match bonus of $500 for the $500 deposited into your account.
But, you will have to bet at least $10,000 ($500 x the wagering requirement of 20) before you will be able to withdraw the money from your New Hampshire online gambling account.
In contrast, a no-deposit bonus will give you bonus money without you having to make a deposit. The gambling website will not give much, usually around $30, for you to place a bet or two at the site and see how you like it. A no-deposit bonus is a great way to check out a gambling site without having to pay any money.
You have to sign up for an account with the site to get this no deposit bonus. You will also be able to keep the no deposit bonus money, as well as any money won with the bonus, as long as you fulfill any wagering requirements that are attached to it.
Sports Betting on Your Local Team
There are not many local sports teams in New Hampshire with no professional sports franchises, but there are many local New England teams such as the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox. The only bets that you cannot make at DraftKings are those for the college teams in New Hampshire of the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth.
However, there are not many betting options for those teams anyway. Dartmouth men’s basketball is the biggest betting option since both schools are in FCS for football rather than the top dog in the FBS.
New Hampshire Betting: Popular Betting Markets
Not only are there many sports to bet on when it comes to sports online gambling in New Hampshire but many betting markets as well. DraftKings has many betting markets available. The most popular ones are:
Gambling in New Hampshire
In summary, there is gambling in New Hampshire, but not much. As of July 2020, there are no land-based casinos or retail sportsbooks in the state.
The state has progressed with the passing of the law legalizing sports betting in 2019, and gambling advocates are hoping that can spur future gambling laws in the Granite State.
Future of Online Gambling in New Hampshire
The future of online gambling in New Hampshire is not great, but it is much better than a few years back. In 2017 a bill to legalize online gambling was shot down big time, and not much talk of the issue came after.
However, the legalization of sports betting in 2019 may change things. Still, there are no land-based casinos in the state, and that has hindered online gambling.
There is DraftKings New Hampshire and, but it may be a while before NH online poker and online casinos are regulated in New Hampshire.
