New Hampshire bill would okay standalone retail betting shops

New Hampshire has introduced legislation that would create the nation’s first standalone sports betting retail shops.

Thursday saw the New Hampshire House of Representatives introduce HB 480, which aims to establish a system within the state Lottery Commission for land-based, online and mobile sports betting. The bill would establish a new Division of Sports Wagering within the commission.

The legislation leaves it up to the Commission whether it wants to offer wagering directly and/or through an authorized ‘Sports Betting Agent’ via “the use of mobile internet devices and through physical sports book retail establishments.” That last bit is interesting, given that, unlike most states pondering wagering bills, New Hampshire currently has no brick-and-mortar casinos.

In other words, the state would authorize UK-style betting shops on its streets, something not even Nevada has okayed, although that state used to feature automated betting kiosks in pubs and bars until mobile wagering made them somewhat superfluous.