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2021 Update: Can I Play Online Poker in New Hampshire?
There have been a few bills to regulate online poker in New Hampshire over the last few years, but none have succeeded. Bill HB 562, which would’ve allowed casinos and online poker, was shelved by lawmakers in 2017.
New Hampshire did legalize sports betting in July 2019 though. The bill allowed for mobile sports betting and it went live at the beginning of 2020. In April they expanded it to offer virtual eNASCAR races. New Hampshire, which was the first state to have a lottery, is also fighting the Wire Act. The New Hampshire lottery is currently fighting the Department of Justice in the federal appeals court. A new interpretation of the act in Jan. 2019 by the DOJ expands the definition beyond sports betting and could threaten the state’s lottery.
While New Hampshire has been a pioneer for gambling in some regards, it still lags behind when it comes to online poker. We’ll see what the future holds.
Gambling Laws and Poker in New Hampshire
Online sports betting has been active in the Granite State since 2019. However, online casinos and online poker remain out of reach for New Hampshire inhabitants. You can also try online horse betting sites. Poker NH abbreviation meaning defined here. What does NH stand for in Poker? Get the top NH abbreviation related to Poker. New Hampshire residents can also take advantage of the online poker scene as well, with all of the online poker sites that offer play to Americans in general warmly welcoming residents of New Hampshire. Our top two picks for online poker for players from New Hampshire. Open Poker Rooms in New Hampshire New Hampshire poker rooms began opening in mid-June. New Hampshire does not have a statewide indoor mask requirement, but some cities within New.
Every state has their own legal definition of gambling. Most of them are quite similar and use the word “chance” as a key factor. New Hampshire is a bit different. The state of New Hampshire’s definition of “gambling” is:
“Risking something of value upon a future contingent not under one’s control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that something of value will be received in the event of a certain outcome.”
The key elements here are “future contingent” and “not under one’s control or influence.” In 2012, a federal judge ruled that poker is a game of skill. That would imply that the outcomes are under your control. This means online poker could face an easier path to regulation if the state takes it up again.
The debate of skill vs luck in poker is a big debate. There’s no doubt luck is a factor, the question is whether it overweighs the skill element. Click this link for a more in-depth guide on NH gambling definitions and penalties.
What’s the Poker Scene in New Hampshire?
Poker isn’t as widespread in New Hampshire as it is in other states. There are no casinos, but it’s close to tribal casinos in Connecticut so that’s often a choice for New Hampshirites. The state hasn’t regulated online poker so there aren’t any state specific sites, but there are a few that take players from all 50 states.
There are also home games. That’s a grey area, but we found a good forum post by a lawyer in New Hampshire who has been practicing law for decades. The lawyer goes on to say:
“There are no New Hampshire Supreme Court cases answering the question: does Poker fit the NH definition of gambling? That said, in 27 years of practicing criminal defense in NH I have yet to see a single case involving a home game of Poker. And there are lots of private Poker games in NH.”
A later post says.
“I think most NH folks are happy with the status quo: commercial Poker is openly licensed, regulated and commonly available in NH as part of our “charity gaming” statute. And private home Poker is ignored by law enforcement.”
Can I Play on PokerStars in New Hampshire?
That would be a no for now. PokerStars was available all over the US before Black Friday, but it’s just started to make its comeback. There’s still no PokerStars in New Hampshire, or any other state-run or regulated site. But there are a few other sites that offer a lot of the same perks.
Americas Cardroom and BetOnline both have quality software and good player pools. They also accept players from all 50 states. Both those sites are good PokerStars alternatives for players in New Hampshire. There are plenty more too. Check out our reviews below to find a site that suits you:
Nh Online Poker Game
Nh Poker Forum
Other Forms of Legal Gambling in New Hampshire
New Hampshire was the first state to have a lottery in the United States. The state’s been running a lottery since 1964. Horse racing is allowed in the state but Greyhound racing was banned in 2011. All racing is regulated by the Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission . This agency also collects all the fees and taxes.
There are no live casinos, but the state does offer pari-mutuel betting and allows for charitable gaming. There have been plenty of bills and efforts to expand gambling in the state in recent years. Most notably there’s been a push to add casinos, but it’s failed every time. The state did approve sports betting in 2019 and it officially launched in early 2020. It was the first gambling expansion in quite some time.
This could lead to more expansion in the future.
Specific State-by-State Laws
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Poker in New Hampshire
Live Poker Rooms in New Hampshire
- Aces and Eights Casino (Hampton, NH)
- Boston Billiard Club & Casino (Nashua, NH)
- Chasers Poker Room (Salem, NH)
- Concord Casino (Concord, NH)
- Dover Poker Room & Casino (Dover, NH)
- Keene Casino (Keene, NH)
- Lakes Region Casino (Belmont, NH)
- Lebanon Poker Room & Casino (Lebanon, NH)
- Manchester Poker Room (Manchester, NH)
- Northwoods Casino (Berlin, NH)
- Ocean Gaming at Hampton Beach (Hampton, NH)
- Speakeasy Casino at The Governor's Inn (Rochester, NH)
- The American Social Club (Nashua, NH)
- The Brook (Seabrook, NH)
- Wonder Casino (Keene, NH)
New Hampshire Poker Information
New Hampshire’s poker scene is thriving in light of the July 2015 change in state legislation removing the $4 betting restriction which had prohibited rooms from offering No-Limit games. Players are now only restricted to a $150 maximum buy-in, regardless of the table stakes. The most popular variants offered are $1/$2 & $2/$4 No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha. Despite online poker not being legalized yet, the appetite for the game in New Hampshire cannot be underestimated. A strong choice of rooms statewide boast more than 300 poker tables in total. New Hampshire poker tournament players are free of any bet restrictions — hence regular tournaments run daily across the state, with newcomers able to build their skills at buy-ins as low as $10 and veterans having good options up to the $250 buy-in level.
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