New Hampshire was the very first state in the country to legalize lottery games in the 1960s but never got around to doing much after that for the gambling industry.
Horseracing has been permitted in the state since the ’30s, with poker and bingo games legalized in the late ’70s.
The latest addition to the gambling industry in New Hampshire is online sports betting, with DraftKings launching the first sportsbook mobile app in 2019.
This means there is a possibility of online casinos joining the party in the future, as right now it’s illegal.
Slot machines are also banned for business use across The Granite State, but this doesn’t mean you can’t still find a few good gambling venues.
We go over the current gambling laws in New Hampshire as well as where you can gamble (on and offline) in our casino guide below.
First, online casinos!
Online Casinos In New Hampshire
Unfortunately, online casinos are not legal in New Hampshire. However, this isn’t to say that online casinos will never launch in the state.
With sports betting already legalized, online casinos would be expected next.
Until then, players have multiple sportsbook apps available for download and can wager virtually on horse races.
There is also the iLottery.
Land-Based Casinos In New Hampshire
New Hampshire has an interesting situation when it comes to land-based casinos.
All casinos are considered illegal unless raising money for a charitable organization, and there are no Tribal casinos because NH has no tribes.
Since all gaming machines used for profit are strictly illegal in the state, players have the option to go to a charitable casino which offers a variety of popular casino table games.
The closest legal slot machines to New Hampshire would be in New York or Massachusetts, which is good news for any gamblers who don’t mind a small road trip.
Besides casino gambling, New Hampshire also has one racetrack that allows off-track betting. There used to be much more than just one venue in the state, but the horse-racing industry is not nearly as popular as it was 20 years ago, causing many operations to shut down.
Types Of Casinos In New Hampshire
Technically, there aren’t any “real casinos” in the state. The only type of venue you’ll find in New Hampshire that is similar to a land-based casino is one that offers charitable gaming.
These venues are typically privately owned and consist of sports bars, bingo halls, and poker rooms.
There is also one horse racing track in NH, as we mentioned above.
Charitable Casinos
If a business wants to offer casino games, the state requires that a large portion of the profits made must be given to a charity. Currently, there are hundreds of charities in NH receiving funds from charitable casinos.
The types of games allowed to be offered include bingo, keno, blackjack, craps, and roulette.
Poker rooms are very popular in the state as well and are also referred to as charitable casinos.
Below, we list every location in NH that offers charitable gambling and the games available.
Pari-Mutuel Betting
The sole horse race track in New Hampshire has just recently rebranded itself from Seabrook Park to The Brook.
It is now the largest charity casino in the entire country and will offer sports betting and casino games.
The new gambling facility offers a state-of-the-art sports viewing area with over 150 TV screens and cinema-style seating, referred to as “The Stadium.”
Other features at The Brook include:
- Daily simulcast racing
- Poker room; cash games and tournaments
- Casino table games; blackjack, roulette, and Cajun Stud
- Arcade games; pinball
35% of the revenue made will be given to locally run organizations.
List Of Land-Based Casinos In New Hampshire
The following is a list of facilities that offer charitable casino games in NH. If the games are not listed, it’s because the venue does exclusive casino themed nights or private events that require participants to contact the facility for more information.
Boston Billiard Club
- 55 Northeastern Blvd, Nashua, NH 03062
- 1 603-943-5630
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Three-Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, Spanish 21, Craps
Chasers Poker Room
- 7 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, Salem, NH 03079
- 1 603-912-4604
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’Em, Mississippi Stud, No-Limit Hold’Em, Omaha
Cheers Poker Room & Casino
- 286 N Broadway, Salem, NH 03079
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Blackjack, Mississippi Stud, Three-Card Poker, Let it Ride
Dover Bowl
- 887 Central Ave # B, Dover, NH 03820
- 1 603-742-9632
- Games: Bingo
The Draft Sports Bar & Grill
- 67 S Main St, Concord, NH 03301
- 1 603-227-1175
The Brook
- 319 New Zealand Rd, Seabrook, NH 03874
- 1 603-474-3065
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Blackjack, Cajun Stud
The Governor’s Inn
- 78 Wakefield St, Rochester, NH 03867
- 1 603-332-0107
Keene Casino
- 222 West St, Keene, NH 03431
- 1 603-903-0181
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Spanish 21, Texas Hold’Em
Lakes Region Casino
- Lakes Region Casino, 1265 Laconia Rd, Belmont, NH 03220
- 1 603-267-7778
- Games: Poker, Keno, Bingo, Cash table games
Lebanon Poker Room & Casino
- 45 Hanover St, Lebanon, NH 03766
- 1 603-678-5906
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Texas Hold’Em, Spanish 21
Northwoods Casino
- 155 Emery St, Berlin, NH 03570
- 1 603-723-9550
- Games: Roulette, Poker, Blackjack 21, Texas Hold’Em
Ocean Gaming Casino
- 81 Ocean Blvd #2nd, Hampton, NH 03842
- 1 603-601-6690
- Games: Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Poker, Keno
The River Casino and Sports Bar
- 53 High St, Nashua, NH 03060
- 1 603-881-9060
- Games: Roulette, Poker, New Hampshire Hold ‘Em, Blackjack, New Hampshire 21, Let It Ride, the Big 6 Money Wheel, Texas Hold’Em
History Of Gambling In New Hampshire
As we mentioned earlier, New Hampshire was the first state in America to regulate the lottery in the 1960s. However, the lottery existed in NH way before the 60s, and actually goes back as far as the 1800s when it was known as raffles.
In 1933, pari-mutuel betting was legalized and allowed residents to wager on horse and greyhound races.
New Hampshire didn’t do much after the ’40s to introduce any new forms of gambling to the state, up until the late 70’s when bingo and poker were legalized.
By 2013, animal racing no longer existed in NH except for one off-track betting venue that showed simulcast racing.
Retail sportsbook began to open and online sports betting was legalized in 2019.
There have been attempts to regulate online casino gambling but all have been rejected.
New Hampshire does not have any tribal casinos or state land-based venues, leaving residents with the option of charitable gaming.
New Hampshire Gambling Laws and Regulatory Organizations
It’s true that New Hampshire has some of the strictest laws around casino gambling in the country, despite being the first state in the US to legalize the lottery.
Luckily, there are still ways for residents to play their favorite casino table games, as well as other gambling options.
Legal forms of gambling in New Hampshire:
- Sports betting (retail and online)
- Bingo and raffles
- Charitable casino table games
- Lottery
- Poker
Venues are allowed to offer different table games as long as some of the money made goes towards a local, charitable organization. The licenses are given out by The New Hampshire Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission.
Residents must be at least 18 years old to participate in poker rooms, buy lottery tickets, and play bingo.
To participate in charitable casino gambling, residents must be at least 21 years old.
The New Hampshire Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission
The New Hampshire Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission, also known as the New Hampshire Lottery Commission (NHLC), is responsible for regulating charitable gambling in the state.
Businesses that are looking to offer casino games must receive a license from the NHLC, as well as residents looking to hold private casino themed nights.
For more information on how to obtain a license, send an email to [email protected] or call (603) 271-3391.
Gambling In New Hampshire Today
Considering how strict New Hampshire is about casino gambling, residents have quite a few options compared to other states.
Besides charitable casinos, the state has legalized online sportsbooks as of 2019, with a number of retail locations also operating across NH.
There was an attempt to discuss the possibility of legalizing online casinos in 2014, but that was shot down very quickly. However, it doesn’t mean it could never happen, especially with sportsbooks gaining popularity.
Slot machines are not permitted in NH, but the majority of casino tables like poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps are, as long as some of the revenue made is going to charity.
Fun Facts
Did you know?
New Hampshire residents are allowed to privately own a slot machine as long as it’s at least 25 years old.