authorizing video lottery terminals at charity gaming facilities and repealing historic horse racing licensing.
HB 728 would create a new chapter in state law authorizing video lottery terminals (VLTs) at certain charitable gaming facilities and regulating their operation through the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. The bill limits eligibility to existing game operator employers licensed under RSA 287-D that were also eligible to sell pari-mutuel pools on historic horse races as of the bill’s effective date. It requires independent testing of terminals, annual responsible gaming plans, commission rulemaking, internal controls, and licensing/enforcement provisions for unlicensed operation. The bill also sets a detailed revenue-sharing structure for VLT wagering, including payments to charitable organizations, problem gambling services, the Group II retirement system, and the lottery fund/special fund.
The bill would also repeal the state’s authorization for historic horse racing (HHR) licensing and related statutory provisions, while amending other racing and unclaimed-ticket statutes to remove references to historic horse racing. Section 1 would take effect upon passage, but the rest of the act would not take effect until January 1, 2028, giving the state and operators time to transition from HHR to VLTs. The fiscal note anticipates increased state lottery revenue and new dedicated revenue streams for problem gambling and retirement obligations, while also noting new administrative costs for the Lottery Commission and possible criminal justice impacts from new penalties.
HB 728 would significantly alter New Hampshire’s gambling framework by replacing historic horse racing with a regulated VLT system at charitable gaming facilities. It would add a new licensing and enforcement regime under the Lottery Commission, create new definitions and operating standards for VLTs, and revise existing racing statutes to remove historic horse racing references. The bill would also redirect gaming revenue into a new distribution formula affecting charities, the lottery fund/education trust fund, problem gaming services, and the Group II retirement system, while requiring payment of unclaimed voucher money to the state treasurer.
The available materials suggest generally favorable fiscal and operational expectations from the bill’s supporters, with the fiscal note projecting substantial revenue gains for the state, charities, and retirement system. The bill appears designed as a transition from HHR to a more standardized VLT model, and the fiscal analysis treats the change as a net revenue increase. No committee transcript or recorded vote is provided, so there is no direct evidence of floor debate sentiment; however, the presence of detailed regulatory safeguards and responsible gaming requirements suggests an effort to address concerns that often accompany expanded gambling.
The main points of contention are likely to be the expansion of gambling through VLTs, the repeal of historic horse racing, and the shift in who benefits from gaming revenue. Charitable gaming operators and organizations may support the bill because it preserves and expands facility-based gaming revenue, while opponents may object to increased gambling access or the replacement of HHR with VLTs. The bill also creates a limited eligibility structure tied to existing HHR/pari-mutuel licensees, which could be controversial for excluding new entrants. Additional concerns center on problem gambling, enforcement, and the criminal penalties for unlicensed operation, though the bill addresses some of these through testing, self-exclusion, and dedicated funding for problem gaming services.