New Hampshire

Sports betting in both retail and online formats has been fully legal in New Hampshire since 2019. However, the Granite State’s sports betting legislation revolves around a monopoly, which means DraftKings has complete control over the sports betting scene.

New Hampshire bettors can legally wager on collegiate sports events, but with restrictions. They cannot wager on college basketball games played in the state or bet on any in-state college, regardless of where the game or event occurs. Outside of in-state colleges, NH bettors are also not permitted to wager on politics or eSports.

Horse racing is also legal in New Hampshire despite the state's lack of racetracks. Fantasy competitions are also legal in the state, allowing residents to access a variety of DFS products, including DraftKings and FanDuel DFS.

Online sports betting in The Granite State

House Bill 480 legalized sports betting in New Hampshire in 2019, but the state soon signed two more bills into law in 2021. One of the bills, HB 330, allowed residents to place in-game wagers, a feature not initially offered when sports betting was legalized.

Sports betting in NH operates in three tiers: tier one includes pre-game wagers, tier two includes in-game wagers, and tier three includes all bets not included in the first two tiers. Tier three essentially allows the New Hampshire Lottery to offer its own bets through lottery retailers, but it hasn’t acted on this up to this point.

When HB 480 was signed in 2019, New Hampshire joined the ever-growing list of states that have legalized sports betting. Despite declaring that online and retail sports betting would be legal, NH decided to handle its sports betting market differently from other states.

After the sports betting bill was signed, DraftKings Sportsbook approached the New Hampshire Lottery with a unique proposal to monopolize the state’s sports betting market. This was just one of 13 proposals the NH Lottery received, but, in the words of the Godfather, DraftKings gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse.

No, they didn’t threaten the state. Instead, they offered 51% of all their revenue if the state promised to keep other operators out of the market. Once the contract was signed, if the state allowed more online operators, DraftKings' tax obligation would drop from 51% to 21%. Since they want to maximize their opportunities in sports betting, the state has upheld its end of the agreement and maintained the market exclusively for DraftKings.

All legal NH sports betting apps in 2026:

Sports betting & gambling legislation in NH

For residents in New Hampshire to place a legal sports wager online or in person, they must be at least 18 years old. Additionally, it is also illegal in the state to wager on events where most participants are under the legal gambling age. However, in January 2025, the state's House of Representatives introduced a bill to raise the legal gambling age from 18 to 21. Whether that bill is passed is yet to be determined. The New Hampshire Lottery Commission enforces all rules and regulations for sports betting in NH.

One of the nicest aspects of sports betting in New Hampshire is the tax rate, or lack thereof. Bettors are not subject to an income tax, which doesn’t just apply to sports betting winnings in the Granite State. Of course, federal tax still applies to bettors, and that tax rate is 24%.

With the provisions established in 2021 by HB 330 and HB 354, the state appears satisfied with its system. Consequently, New Hampshire residents shouldn’t anticipate any changes to the market in the future. This also applies to markets like iGaming and online poker, which remain illegal in NH.

How New Hampshire’s no state income tax affects sports betting revenue

New Hampshire’s lack of a state income tax creates a unique sports betting landscape that affects both bettor behavior and revenue allocation. With no income tax on gambling winnings, bettors in New Hampshire get to keep more of their profits compared to states that impose taxes on sports betting earnings. This tax-friendly environment may encourage a higher volume of bet size and more consistent play, as players don’t have to factor in tax losses when calculating potential payouts.

From an industry perspective, DraftKings can leverage this advantage to attract new bettors or gambling “whales” by promoting tax-free winnings as a benefit. However, without income tax revenue from gambling, the state relies heavily on the sportsbook’s revenue-sharing agreement to finance education and other public programs. It is also essential to consider that if the state introduces more operators, it could lose revenue from DraftKings, as their tax obligations would decrease by 30%.

Primary prediction pools: Novelty betting on presidential campaign stops

In New Hampshire, the state that proudly holds the nation’s first presidential primary, politics is practically a sport. Every election cycle, candidates travel across the state, make personal connections, hold town halls, and hope to win the hearts (and votes) of the Granite State locals. But why let the politicians have all the fun?

Primary Prediction Pools, where political enthusiasts and casual observers alike can place wagers on questions like, “Which town will Candidate X visit next?” or “Who will draw the biggest crowd this week?” With a rich history of grassroots campaigning and easily trackable events, New Hampshire is uniquely more suited for campaign-based novelty betting compared to other states. 

With geofenced apps and appropriate regulation, these bets could be confined to entertaining, low-stakes predictions that do not influence political outcomes. The non-influencing outcomes are the key to this market and would likely be the deciding factor in whether it is added. By leveraging its early-primary status, New Hampshire could lead the way in a new form of interactive political engagement.

Betting on fall foliage in New Hampshire: Nature meets novelty wagers

New Hampshire’s famous fall foliage attracts thousands of visitors each year, but could it also become a betting market? With the leaf-peeping season heavily dependent on weather conditions, temperature, and rainfall amounts, predicting the exact peak of when leaves turn red, orange, and yellow could provide a fun and competitive wagering experience. Enthusiasts could place bets on which town will reach peak color first, the longest-lasting foliage, or even the earliest snowfall to interrupt the season’s beauty.

Local tourism boards might even get involved by offering prizes for the most accurate predictions, which could, in turn, drive more tourism. With technology enabling real-time satellite tracking of foliage changes, sportsbooks could develop an interactive betting system that caters to both nature lovers and gamblers. While it may never compete with sports betting, a leaf-peeping market could introduce a new group of people to the betting industry.

Most recent updates from the NH betting & gambling scenes

• February 13, 2026: DraftKings locks in another long-term agreement with the New Hampshire Lottery, ensuring it remains the state's exclusive mobile sports betting provider, a role it has held since legalization began in 2019. The arrangement continues a revenue-sharing model that supports state programs. While mobile betting is fully available, wagering on in-state college sports events is still prohibited.

• January 13, 2026: Churchill Downs plans a major overhaul of its Salem, New Hampshire gaming venue, committing up to $200 million to create the Rockingham Grand Casino. The project will expand the site from 19,000 to about 160,000 square feet across three floors, adding hundreds of gaming machines, table games, dining options, and a 900-seat entertainment space, with completion targeted for mid-2027.

• November 26, 2025: The New Hampshire Wildcats will be on the road at South Dakota State for the first round of the FCS playoffs. The Wildcats are (+10.5) underdogs.

• November 20, 2025: In their final regular-season game, the New Hampshire Wildcats will host Maine as (-6.5) favorites.

• October 30, 2025: College basketball tips off on November 3, and the New Hampshire Wildcats are (+5000) to win the America East regular season title.

• September 19, 2025: After reporting $68.2 million total betting handle from August 2025, New Hampshire bettors have now placed over $4 billion worth of real money wagers. From these total bets, NH has gained more than $164 million in tax income.

• July 11, 2025: Under a new law approved by NH Governor Kelly Ayotte, casinos in the state can now install an unlimited number of video lottery machines (VLTs). In the past, casinos were limited in the number of VLTs they could install. Through the bill, the state has also increased the tax rate on these machines to 31%.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

The maximum number of retail sportsbooks in the state is ten, and as of March 2026, three are currently operational. All of the locations are partnered with DraftKings and feature sports betting kiosks.

Expanding the retail market is undoubtedly in the cards for New Hampshire, as 16 communities have already voted to approve the opening of a DraftKings Sportsbook location in their respective areas.

Do hiking and outdoor enthusiasts bet differently than city-based bettors?

New Hampshire’s outdoor lifestyle is deeply ingrained in its culture, but does it influence sports betting behavior? Unlike city dwellers who are constantly connected, many NH residents and visitors spend their weekends hiking, skiing, or camping, which takes them off the grid. This raises an interesting question: Do outdoor enthusiasts bet less, or do they place their wagers before disappearing into the wilderness?

Data suggests that while rural and outdoor-loving bettors may not place bets as frequently as their urban counterparts, they often engage in pre-game wagering. Knowing they’ll be without cell service, these bettors tend to place their bets in advance, focusing on straight bets, parlays, or futures that don’t require real-time adjustments. Live betting, or micro betting, which both thrive in urban settings, is naturally less widespread among this group.

Another factor is seasonality. During peak outdoor seasons, betting activity may decrease as people prioritize alternative recreational activities over watching games. However, NH’s strong connection to Boston sports teams means even the most dedicated hikers are likely to place bets on a big game.

Ultimately, while NH’s outdoor culture fosters a different betting style, it doesn’t mean the state loses betting handle during peak outdoor months. Instead, those bettors just have an alternate handicapping approach that contrasts with those bettors who like to watch the game for a bit before jumping in on the action with a live wager.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Since sports betting legislation was enacted in Vermont in January 2024, all three of New Hampshire’s neighboring states now offer some form of sports betting.

If residents of New Hampshire are looking to cross state lines but remain active in sports betting, they can click the state’s name below to see the full scope of their legislation and active sports betting apps.

Sports betting revenue impact on New Hampshire's economy

Under the current sports betting bill in New Hampshire, there can be no more than ten retail and five mobile sportsbooks operating in the state at any given time. This regulation doesn't significantly impact online sportsbooks, as DraftKings already holds a monopoly in the state. Regarding retail locations, the licensing fee in the state remains unclear. However, all establishments seeking to become retail facilities must obtain voter approval from their specific city.

The tax rate in NH is 51%, which applies only to DraftKings, since they opted into that deal when securing their monopoly on the state. Even with that monopoly controlling the sports betting scene, New Hampshire still performs well in its monthly revenue reports, especially in the tax revenue category, for obvious reasons.

By no stretch of the imagination is New Hampshire the most significant state in the U.S.; in fact, it is 41st in overall population. Despite that, NH is not unfamiliar with months when they pulled in $80-$100 million in betting handle. However, after two years of declining total annual betting volume and one year of declining revenue and tax income, New Hampshire's betting scene returned to an upward trend, as the 2025 total betting handle ($880.6 million) was up 11.0% compared to the year prior.

Meanwhile, the 2025 annual total revenue ($103.6 million) was not just a new record; it was also the first time NH posted yearly revenue over $100 million. The revenue increased an impressive 31.1% year-on-year. And with great revenue comes great tax income, as the $45.0 million generated in 2025 is also a new record for the NH betting market, up 29.1% YoY.

New Hampshire sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: March 2023 ($103,390,747)

• Revenue: November 2025 ($13,927,774)

• Tax income: November 2025 ($6,199,843)

Latest NH sports betting revenue report breakdown (January 2026)

• Total betting handle: $90,919,030

  • Mobile betting handle: $82,125,911

  • Retail betting handle: $8,793,119

• Hold: 11.69%

• Gross revenue: $10,632,753

  • Revenue from mobile betting: $10,015,905

  • Revenue from retail betting: $616,848

• Tax revenue for the state: $4,619,043

Reported by the New Hampshire Lottery.

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

How NH monthly betting handle has evolved throughout the years? (As of January 2026)

Comparison: New Hampshire sports betting-related revenue - month-by-month view

NH sports betting revenue in 2026

The table below presents the total handle, revenue, and tax income generated by the legal sports betting market in New Hampshire. The percentage figure illustrates the evolution of these numbers compared to the previous month.

2025 betting revenue data

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

Event-based betting in New Hampshire: Why Laconia Motorcycle Week is a perfect fit

Laconia Motorcycle Week is one of New Hampshire's most iconic annual events, drawing tens of thousands of riders and spectators to the Lakes Region every June. But beyond the roar of engines and chrome-laced parades lies a potential goldmine for betting and the revenue that stems from that. With organized competitions that include burnout contests, slow races, and bike showdowns already part of the festivities, licensed sportsbooks could offer novelty wagers on everything from “race winners” to “best-looking bike.”

If New Hampshire expands its regulatory framework to include event-based prop bets, Laconia, already a major tourism destination, could help fuel summer revenue for the state. Even capturing a fraction of tourism-based wagers could generate tens of thousands in seasonal betting handle and tax income for the state, which is huge since the state does not have a pro sports team.