New Hampshire: Hampton Beach Casino approved to expand charitable gaming facility

The long-planned transformation of the Hampton Beach Casino moved forward last week, as the Hampton Zoning Board voted 4–1 to approve a special exception permitting the expansion of its charitable gaming facility. The move paves the way for a major redevelopment of the iconic seacoast property and marks a key milestone for developers Sal Lupoli and Fred Schaake.

The approval clears the way for Aces and Eights, the charitable gaming operator located within the historic Casino complex on Ocean Boulevard, to increase its gaming footprint from 8,000 to approximately 31,000 square feet. 

The expanded facility will be situated across the first and second floors at the rear of the future complex, part of a redevelopment plan that includes a 204-room boutique hotel, a new 3,500-capacity Casino Ballroom music venue, 99 condominium units, restaurants, retail, and an arcade.

While charitable gaming has been active at the site since 2014, a previous zoning approval restricted gaming to the original floorplan. The new exemption allows for a much larger footprint. “We are the smallest casino (charitable gaming facility) in the entire state,” Lupoli told the board. “Our vision was to always rebuild this and be year-round.”

The expanded gaming space will still operate under New Hampshire’s charitable gaming regulations, which include capped bets and a mandate that 35% of proceeds be allocated to nonprofit charities. In 2024, charitable gaming in the state generated over $39 million in donations to charitable organizations, with Aces and Eights reportedly contributing $250,000 through partnerships with 82 charities.

Project engineer Rick Friberg emphasized that the gaming area will be screened from public view, with its main entrance located off Ashworth Avenue rather than Ocean Boulevard. "We are doing our best to minimize the presence of the use in what we want to be a very family-friendly area along Ocean Boulevard," he said. Security personnel will be stationed at entrances to ensure that only patrons aged 18 and older can access the space.

The zoning board’s approval came despite opposition from board chair Erica de Vries, who raised concerns about the potential social costs of an expanded gaming venue. “Gambling has an impact on the safety and welfare of people in the community, and the larger a gambling institution is, the larger those impacts are going to be,” she said. 

De Vries acknowledged that while the application met zoning requirements, the scope of the expansion was troubling. 

Other board members, however, pointed to the regulated nature of charitable gaming in the state and the long-standing presence of gaming at Hampton Beach. “Economic-wise, they are going to have to expand to compete,” said board member Ken Sheffert. “There is a limited number of gaming facilities in New Hampshire. I don’t have a problem with the size.”

Board member Bill O’Brien, who made the motion to approve the special exception, added a condition requiring that local charities in Hampton, Exeter, North Hampton, and Seabrook be given priority in benefiting from gaming revenue. He noted that the expansion puts Aces and Eights on par with similar gaming establishments in the region and that the additional proceeds would benefit local nonprofit causes.

Plans for the redevelopment project are currently being finalized. The developers aim to demolish the existing 100-year-old structure on the 4.5-acre site, replacing it with a new five- to six-story building with staggered rooflines and a modern design. 

Once complete, the revamped Hampton Beach Casino complex will offer retail and commercial space on the first two floors, with residential units above, alongside the hotel, expanded ballroom, parking garage, and charitable gaming facility.