A New Hampshire measure that would have authorized online casino games and online poker in the Granite State has perished in a second committee vote, ending the chances for 2023 of New Hampshire becoming the eighth US state to formally legalize and regulate online poker. Senate Bill 104 failed to advance from the Senate's Ways and Means Committee after being recalled by the committee for additional consideration.
SB 104 originally passed the Ways and Means Committee earlier this month, by a razor-thin 12-11 margin, after it was amended from its original form. The narrow approval didn't last long, however, as State Senator Kevin Avard (R) then moved to recall the bill for further discussion. Avard's motion also passed, and SB 104 received debate in a public hearing on Tuesday.
The bill was assailed by representatives of the state's brick-and-mortar casinos and card rooms, who argued that the online gambling would cannabalize their live-venue services. Though such cannabilism has been repudiated in several analyses, it remains the most common argument thrown at online-gambling legalization efforts.
Given the headwinds that also included pushback from anti-gambling forces, and despite the earlier passing vote, SB 104 faced a dim future in the face of concerted opposition throughout the New Hampshire Senate. Rather than re-pass the bill, the Ways and Means Committee voted unaminously, 20-0, to give the bill an "ITL" tag, meaning it was "inexpedient to legislate" at this time.
The bill's reversal effectively ends the chances that any online poker or casino bill will be considered in New Hampshire in the current legislative session. If and when the matter is reintroduced, the bill's supporters will have to rethink their plans to counter the opposition such a bill will face.
