Politics & Government

Casino Bill Faces Long Odds

The NH bill proposes two casino locations totaling up to 5,000 slots and 240 table games.

Casino gambling continues to face long odds in New Hampshire. A House committee vote April 22 to recommend that the full 400-member House reject a bill to legalize expanded gambling.

The bill would legalize up to 5,000 slots and 240 table games between two casino locations in the state.

The state Senate passed the bill 15-9 last month, and expanded gambling continues to fuel debate among supporters and opponents.

Its potential impact is especially acute in Salem, home to Rockingham Park. It is a town where voters endorsed expanded gaming in a non-binding referendum a year ago with 81 percent of the vote.

When the full House of Representatives takes up the casino bill, there is a chance state representatives could overturn the Ways and Means committee recommendation, but that is often a challenge, particularly with a legislative chamber that has never passed casino legislation.


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