New Hampshire: status at a glance
| Online casino | Not authorized |
|---|---|
| Sports betting | Online and retail |
| Online poker | Not authorized |
| Sweepstakes casinos | No ban found in our sources |
The Lottery is the regulator and the retailer
In New Hampshire the state lottery sits at the center of everything legal and online. Its own sports wagering page states that RSA 287-I authorizes the New Hampshire Lottery to conduct and regulate sports wagering within the state. That is a different model from a state that licenses many sportsbooks under a separate commission: here one agency both regulates the activity and has a contract with the company that takes the bets.
The Lottery also operates as an online seller of its own games. Its home page offers Powerball and Mega Millions tickets for online purchase, a catalog of electronic instant games, and a mobile app for buying draw game tickets and checking tickets. Those are lottery products, run by the state, and they are not casino games from a licensed private operator. The line matters when residents hear that New Hampshire has online gaming: the online games here are lottery games.
Sports wagering under RSA 287-I
The Lottery's page describes two channels. One is an online and mobile platform run by the operator the Lottery works with. The other is a set of retail sportsbooks at five facilities: The Brook in Seabrook, Revo Casino and Social House in Manchester and Dover, and Gate City Casino and The Nash Casino in Nashua. The same page says a bettor must be 18 or older and physically in New Hampshire.
The age is stated here exactly as the Lottery gives it. Trade guides report details such as the length of the operator's contract and the tax terms, but they disagree with one another on those points, so they are left out. The comparison with other states is on sports betting by state.
What is not licensed
No New Hampshire license exists for online casino games, and none exists for online poker. Industry trackers list no online casino market in the state, and trade reports say that efforts to authorize one in the legislature have not become law. We could not read the legislature's own site, which returned a block page to our client, so we cannot cite a bill number or vote.
The practical result is that the licensed online products in New Hampshire are the Lottery's own games and the sports wagering run under its contract. A site offering anything else for money is not one the Lottery licenses.
Sweepstakes casinos and offshore sites
No New Hampshire statute or enforcement action against sweepstakes casinos appears in the data used for this site, and they hold no state license. That is the absence of a rule, not permission. For how other states have acted, see states that ban sweepstakes casinos, and for the federal framework see are sweepstakes casinos legal.
Offshore casinos are licensed by foreign authorities, if at all. A foreign license is issued under another country's law and does not make a site legal in New Hampshire. See offshore casinos for how those licenses work.
Poker
No online poker license is listed for New Hampshire. The states that license it are compared on online poker by state.
Help
The national helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). Self-exclusion and spending tools are described on responsible gambling.
Frequently asked questions
Is online sports betting legal in New Hampshire?
Yes. RSA 287-I authorizes the New Hampshire Lottery to conduct and regulate it, through an online and mobile platform and five retail locations. The bettor must be 18 or older and in the state.
Can I play online casino games in New Hampshire?
No. The state has no license for online casino games. The online games the Lottery sells are lottery games, such as electronic instant games and draw game tickets.
Is online poker legal in New Hampshire?
No online poker license is listed for the state.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in New Hampshire?
They hold no New Hampshire license. Our data lists no state ban, so the position is an absence of a rule and not a permission.