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SB 542 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
01/29/2026 0199s
2026 SESSION
26-2158
08/06
SENATE BILL
542
AN ACT
limiting the game dates available to charities at gaming facilities.
SPONSORS: Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Rep. Janigian, Rock. 25
COMMITTEE: Ways and Means
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill limits the game dates available to charities at gaming facilities.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
01/29/2026 0199s 26-2158
08/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
limiting the game dates available to charities at gaming facilities.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Game Dates. Amend RSA 284:23, I (d) to read as follows:
(d) Each person, association, or corporation licensed to conduct historic horse race wagering shall collect a sum equal to 25 percent of revenues generated from historic horse race pari-mutuel pools after breakage and payment of winnings to patrons. Each licensee that conducts wagering on historic horse races shall distribute 35 percent of the amount collected under this paragraph to charitable organizations with whom the licensee contracts on each licensed game date. Charitable organizations from within the executive council district where the licensee is located shall be given preference, and no charitable organization shall be eligible for more than [
10
]
7
dates of revenue under this section, within a 12 month period. Each licensee operating historic horse racing machines must contract with 2 licensed charitable organizations for each game date
.
The remainder of the total amount collected by the licensee under this paragraph shall be paid to the lottery commission for use according to the special fund established under RSA 284:21-j.
2 Game Dates. Amend RSA 284-D:4-a, I to read as follows:
I. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, game operator employers licensed under RSA 287-D:4 are required to annually operate [
a minimum of 7
] but not more than [
10
]
7
game dates for the benefit of the town or city where the game operator employer is located.
3 Cross Reference; Game Dates. Amend 284-D:4-a, III to read as follows:
III. The game dates benefiting the host municipality shall be in place of a charity game date, however, this shall not prevent the game operator employer from hosting [
a charity
]
one or more charities
on the same game dates when [
2
]
additional
charities would normally [
operate
]
participate in charitable gaming
.
4 Game Dates. Amend RSA 287-D:6, IV to read as follows:
IV. Only one license shall be issued to each applicant per year to operate games of chance for [
10
]
7
days, which [
10
]
7
days need not be consecutive.
5 Game Dates. Amend RSA 287-D:13, I to read as follows:
I. A charitable gaming license shall be $50, which shall entitle the charity up to [
10
]
7
game dates per calendar year.
6 Game Dates. RSA 287-D:14, XXII(b) to read as follows:
(b) Any single facilities licensee shall not award the host municipality more than [
10
]
7
days per calendar year.
7 Game Operator Employer; Distribution of Daily Gross Revenues. RSA 287-D:19, III(f) to read as follows:
(f) [
No charitable organization
]
The game operator employer
shall [
receive less than
]
equally distribute
35 percent of the
daily
gross revenues from any games of chance minus any prizes paid,
to the licensed charitable organizations or host community partnering with the game operator on that date
.
8 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.