New Hampshire considers lifting $50 betting limit on table games to attract high-stake players

New Hampshire lawmakers are moving to remove the state’s $50 betting limit on table games to attract high-stakes players who currently prefer Massachusetts casinos with no such restrictions.

At a Senate Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, Republican Senator Tim Lang of Sanbornton introduced an amendment to House Bill 2, part of the Governor’s budget policy, proposing the removal of the wager limit, the Concord Monitor reported.

Lang is pushing to remove these wager limits on popular table games such as poker and blackjack, arguing it will help New Hampshire remain competitive with neighboring states.

“If I’m a high-stakes player, I’m going to go to Massachusetts. I’m not even going to come to New Hampshire because I’m limited to $50,” he pointed out. “We’re trying to encourage and be competitive with our border states.”

The move faces opposition from some lawmakers concerned about gambling addiction. Senator Cindy Rosenwald, a Democrat from Nashua, voiced concerns about raising wager limits, particularly in the context of ongoing discussions around legalizing slot machines. “While I get that there are a lot of ways for people to ruin their lives and probably we should let them, I’m not sure that we should help them along the way," she said.

New Hampshire raised the maximum individual wager on games of chance from $10 to $50 in 2023. Lang, however, believes this limit does not influence gambling addiction rates. “If someone has an addictive personality, whether it’s $50 or $100, they’re still going to gamble,” he said. “I don’t think that’s going to drive and create more addiction.”

He pointed out that the change will boost revenue for the state and charities, with 35% of casino revenue going to nonprofits and 10% to the Education Trust Fund.