New Hampshire To Once Again Look At Casino GamblingSupporters Optimistic About Second Chance At Casino Gambling |
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In 2014, the New Hampshire House of Representatives killed a bill that would bring two casinos to the state. The measure lost by just one vote.
This year, Sen. Lou D’Allesandro is putting forward a similar bill and he and other supporters are optimistic about its chances, provided the House can agree on how to spend the additional revenue. At the moment, Democrats would like to use the tax revenue to increase state spending, but Republicans want the money to offset business tax reductions.
With the support of Gov. Maggie Hassan, D’Allesandro hopes the bill will pass in the new session.
“Gov. Hassan continues to believe that moving forward with New Hampshire’s own plan for one highly regulated destination casino is the right step for keeping revenue in New Hampshire that we can use to invest in the priorities that are critical for long-term economic success,” said a spokesman for the Governor.
The two casinos would create jobs, but more importantly, would keep money in the state instead of seeing it cross the border into Massachusetts, which is expected to open its first gambling facility in 2015.
Opponents of the bill believe that any casinos in the state wouldn’t be able to compete with nearby resorts and that gambling revenue isn’t a sure thing.
“It is probably the least stable source of government funding there is (and) that sets aside any consideration of all the negative social costs,” said Steve Duprey, co-chairman of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Expanded Gambling.
New Hampshire currently has several poker rooms spread throughout the state in various horse and dog track parimutuel facilities, as well as charity gaming.
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