New Hampshire sports betting is starting to flourish. While the state has some of the strictest gambling laws in the United States, it legalized and launched sports betting. The sports betting industry continues to grow throughout the United States, and New Hampshire has helped.
Commercial and tribal casinos were not allowed to open for the longest time in New Hampshire, making launching sports betting rather difficult. New Hampshire allows retail locations and the DraftKings mobile app to offer sports betting.
Even though there are some strict gambling laws in the state, the sports betting laws are pretty wide open. Sportsbooks have plenty of freedom when offering bets, and several different sports or leagues are on the table.
While most states require sports bettors to be at least 21 years old, the minimum age is 18 in New Hampshire. This includes retail betting and the DraftKings mobile app.
The History Behind Legal Sports Betting in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has some very strict gambling laws in place, which date back to 1906. An illegal gambling operation was launched in Rockingham Park. However, it lasted only three days before the authorities shut down the operation.
In 1963, New Hampshire became the first state to legalize a lottery draw, challenging some previous gambling laws. Horse racing and parimutuel betting are also legal, as well as charitable casinos and daily fantasy sports contests.
When the US Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting in 2018, lawmakers in the state started to explore the sports betting industry. On July 12, 2019, Governor Sununu officially signed a law that allows for sports betting in New Hampshire.
The law allows for both retail and mobile sports betting throughout the state. Fifteen total skins are available. Ten of these licenses will be available for retail sports betting locations. The other five are for mobile operators.
Since there are a minimal amount of casinos in the state, other retail locations will be able to apply for a retail license. This is a unique approach to sports betting, but the state didn’t have any other options.
The New Hampshire State Lottery oversees the sports betting industry in the state. It has selected Intralot to help with retail sports betting. Credit card deposits are not permitted for New Hampshire online sportsbooks. Debit cards and PayPal are the best alternatives.
Financial History Behind Legal Sports Betting in New Hampshire
New Hampshire is relatively small compared to other states that have launched sports betting, but the industry’s financial history still shows plenty of growth. Like other states, the industry came to a screeching halt in the early part of 2020, but things are now back on track in New Hampshire.
Things got rolling in New Hampshire in January 2020, and the state posted a total sports betting handle of $16.8 million. Revenue that month was over $1.7 million, which was impressive for the first full month.
Handle went all the way up to $22.1 million during February 2020, and it appeared that things were starting to take off. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, it had a major impact on sports betting in New Hampshire.
From March to July 2020, the state only saw a combined betting handle of less than $28 million as most live sporting events were shut down. Other states were in a similar position, but it crippled New Hampshire in its attempt to get sports betting up and running.
New Hampshire writes about $100 million in sports betting tickets annually. About 90% of this is through the DraftKings app, which holds a mobile monopoly in the state. Intralot operates sports betting at 1300 lottery retailers in the state. About 90% of New Hampshire sports bets come through the DraftKings app, which pays a 51% tax to the state.
Sportsbook Apps in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, sports betting laws allow for up to five online/mobile operators to receive a sports betting license. As of January 2024, DraftKings Sportsbook has been the only operator to receive a license.
DraftKings Sportsbook was the first available betting option in the entire state. The New Hampshire State Lottery is set to allow that operator to dominate the market for quite some time. It doesn’t appear that there is any rush to approve additional mobile betting licenses after the contract to pay a 51% tax rate.
Mobile operators will have to partner with a retail operator before launching sports betting in New Hampshire. Retail operators won’t have any trouble finding potential partners, and DraftKings could eventually be facing some stiff competition.
Here are some potential mobile operators that would look to break into the New Hampshire industry.
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- BetRivers
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- ESPN Bet
All five of these operators cannot receive a sports betting license since only four others are available. This will likely create some good competition between potential operators.
Retail Locations to Bet on Sports in New Hampshire
Retail betting was expected to drive sports betting in the state of New Hampshire at some point. This has not been the case since the industry was launched. Retail sports betting was slow to launch.
The state has granted ten physical sportsbook licenses, and all of these licenses must be applied for. There are 15 eligible retail locations that can apply for a license, but only 10 have applied at this point.
There are also five other skins available, allowing these retail locations to partner with a third-party sports betting operator. Most other states that have launched sports betting have used casinos to offer sports betting, but that isn’t required in New Hampshire.
These four locations below have a retail sports betting license and host a DraftKings location on-premises:
- Filotimo Dover
- Gate City Casino
- Filotimo Manchester
- The Brook
Sports Teams to Bet on in New Hampshire
Even though there aren’t any professional sports teams in New Hampshire, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some great teams to bet on. Sports fans in New Hampshire have plenty of teams to root for as the New England region is loaded with popular teams.
New England is close in proximity to Boston, Massachusetts, and that is where a lot of fans choose to follow teams. Since football is king throughout the United States, the New England Patriots are a very popular team in New Hampshire.
The Patriots aren’t the only team to root for, though, as New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey also offer football betting options. There are other popular teams as well, but most bettors tend to focus on football in this state.
The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are two of the most storied franchises in the NBA. Both teams help drive sports betting in the state. The NBA has also grown in popularity over the past decade, and fans in New Hampshire have plenty of teams to bet on.
Since betting on college sporting events is legal in New Hampshire, that also provides some other terrific betting opportunities. The New Hampshire Wildcats and the Dartmouth Big Green are both popular teams throughout the state, especially during football and basketball seasons.
FAQ for betting in New Hampshire
When was sports betting legalized in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire became the 17th state to legalize sports betting when Governor Chris Sununu signed a sports betting bill into law on July 12, 2019. New Hampshire became the second state in New England to legalize the industry.
When did sports betting officially launch?
The DraftKings Sportsbook officially launched sports betting in early 2020.
What group oversees sports betting in New Hampshire?
The New Hampshire State Lottery has been chosen to oversee the sports betting industry in the state. This is a similar approach that other states have taken when legalizing sports betting.
What is the legal betting age in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire law states that anyone 18 years or older can legally place a bet on a sporting event as long as they are doing so at a regulated sportsbook.
Are retail betting locations available in the state?
As of January 2024, there were four retail sportsbooks currently up and running in the state. State law allows for ten retail locations to be issued licenses, and the New Hampshire Lottery is currently reviewing additional applications.
Can I place a bet through a mobile app?
Yes, the DraftKings Sportsbook app is already up and running in New Hampshire, and there could be four more set to join at some point. Mobile operators must partner with a retail location to offer mobile betting.
Are there any professional sports teams in New Hampshire?
The state is not home to any professional sports teams, at least at the major league level. Some minor league teams are popular in the state.
Can I bet on collegiate athletic events in New Hampshire?
Yes, state law allows for betting on collegiate events, including those that occur within the state.