New Hampshire Could Soon Roll Slots Across Gaming Halls

New Hampshire may soon welcome more slots locally, as the state is warming up to the idea of emulating the Historical Horse Racing (HHR) machines already available and introducing similarly “delayed” slot games at gaming halls and casinos.

In New Hampshire Calls for Slots Legalization Are Being Heard

Essentially, HHR machines are a type of pari-mutuel betting where players will bet on old – already completed races – against one another, and which will have a set delay of five seconds between plays.

A new state commission now thinks that this can be replicated across slot gaming, introducing slot machines in the state, and offering a boost to the charitable gaming industry, but mostly to the land-based casinos in the state which are operating without any slot machines.

Charitable gaming establishments can run slot-like machines that are loosely modeled on the typical Las Vegas-style games, as well as HHR machines, but they are not the “real thing” as it were.

State Sen. Tim Lang is part of a new gaming committee that is formed to assess whether such slot machines should become a part of the gambling landscape locally. Sen. Lang is confident that the proposition is feasible, but there are a few caveats that need to be observed.

“We want to make sure that the speed of play is consistent with what’s currently being used in HHR. There was some concern amongst the responsible gaming people that it’s a little addictive if it’s allowed at its full throttle speed,” the senator said, acknowledging some of the concerns that have cropped up during the debate.

However, there is a strong financial rationale behind such a move, which seems to have intrigued the minds of legislators, who are inclined to try and pass legislation that could lead to slots introduced in gaming parlors.

Yet, lawmakers are treading carefully. Although the consensus is that the introduction of slot games modeled after the HHR machines would bring an economic boon, legislators want to be sure.

New Hampshire to Tread Lightly with Expanding, Introducing Slots

To this end, they have hired Spectrum Gaming Group, which is the consulting group now tasked with gauging the potential economic impact to be had on New Hampshire should slot machines be passed.

The lack of slot games, though, is visible in the state’s revenue it collects from the gambling industry. Slot games have been long associated with the largest contributions to state budgets in places where gambling is regulated and allowed.

Naturally, passing a comprehensive bill will remain challenging, but there is now clear indication that slot games are not a long way off in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire has had its list of recent controversies recently. A senator was indicted late last month. In the meantime, not all communities in the state are openly in support of gaming and gambling expansion.

For example, Keene, New Hampshire’s City Council has decided against the expansion of casino properties, introducing changes to the zoning rules.