- New Hampshire legislators propose raising the minimum sports betting age from 18 to 21, which could drop nearly 2% of the player base.
- The potential lost revenue from young bettors ($640,000) represents only about 0.8% of the yearly benefits from NH sportsbooks.
- The measure, NH HB 83 must undergo discussion in House committees before potentially moving on to the Senate.
CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire lawmakers have introduced House Bill 83 (HB 83), aiming to raise the state’s legal sports betting age from 18 to 21. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Sallie Fellows (D) and Michael Cahill (D), along with Senators Ruth Ward (R) and Suzanne Prentiss (D), is scheduled for discussion in the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.
Currently, New Hampshire is among the few states with legal sports betting that permit 18-year-olds to engage in online sports betting. Neighboring states like Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont have set the minimum sports betting age at 21.
Estimates suggest 1.9% of the total amount of money bet on sports in New Hampshire comes from players under 21. If enacted, the bill could reduce state lottery revenue by approximately $320,000 in fiscal year 2026 and by $640,000 in subsequent years.
For reference, New Hampshire sportsbooks and the state each made about $34 million from sports betting through 2024. Therefore, the potential revenue change won’t affect the revenue from NH sports betting too greatly… less than 1%.
Still in its early legislative stages, with bipartisan support across both chambers of government, this measure could fly through the lawmakers’ hands.
The bill will be examined by the House Ways and Means Committee, where discussions and potential amendments will occur until it can be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
If enacted, the new age restriction would take effect on January 1, 2026.
