New Hampshire rejects bill to raise sports betting age
New Hampshire’s House Ways and Means Committee has voted against a proposal to raise the legal sports betting age from 18 to 21. The decision was made during an executive session on Monday, 27 January, with the committee voting 11-7 to deem House Bill 83 “inexpedient to legislate.”
This outcome means the bill, which aimed to align sports betting laws with the state’s legal age for alcohol and tobacco consumption, will not move forward in 2025.
Debate over betting age ends after three weeks
House Bill 83, sponsored by Rep. Sally Fellows, sought to increase the minimum legal sports wagering age to 21, arguing that it would help promote responsible gambling. During a public hearing last week, Fellows, along with Marlene Warner, CEO of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, voiced support for the change.
The opponents have expressed that this bill will limit personal freedom and also cut the state revenue. Rep. Fred Doucette, who presented a motion to dismiss the bill, argued that the question can be addressed in the future but highlighted the financial effects of the proposed measure. The text of the bill claimed that the state would lose $640,000 per year in annual revenue if the age limit was raised.
Republican Rep. Cyril Aures called the proposed change a “liberty issue,” arguing that 18-year-olds should be allowed to decide how to spend their money. Conversely, Rep. Susan Elberger countered that age restrictions are consistent across other products like alcohol and tobacco. Rep. Tom Schamberg added that the state should make a statement about gambling limits similar to other regulated substances.
Despite the debate, the committee’s vote effectively ends the effort to raise the betting age for the year.
Online 바카라 bill moves forward in Senate
While the betting age bill failed in the House, a new proposal in the New Hampshire Senate is gaining attention. Senate Bill 168, introduced on 23 January, seeks to legalise online 바카라 gaming starting from 1 January 2026.
Under the proposal, the New Hampshire Lottery would oversee the creation of an online gaming division and license between three and six online platforms. These platforms would be required to partner with existing licensed gaming facilities in the state.
The bill imposes a 45 percent tax on gross online gaming revenue and would keep the legal age at 18 to gamble online at 바카라s. Should the bill be enacted, New Hampshire would be the first state in the country to open regulated online 바카라 gaming to individuals between the ages of 18 and 20.
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