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PTLegal Online Poker in New Hampshire
This article will explore the legality of online and land-based poker in New Hampshire and the state’s current stance on gambling as a whole.
New Hampshire’s gambling history is long and rich. The state started off strong, passing laws that legalized sports betting and lottery before any of its neighbors. However, it lost this vigor somewhere along the way. It only legalized card games in a charitable capacity and never took a serious interest in opening land-based casinos.
As a result, the Granite State has no traditional land-based casinos or poker rooms to date. It also lacks regulations regarding online casino gambling, including poker. Thankfully, this state still offers a few options for poker enthusiasts.
Find out what we’re referring to in the following article. We’ll discuss New Hampshire poker laws and how and where you can play this casino classic in the Granite State.
Is Online Poker Legal in New Hampshire?
Contrary to popular belief, New Hampshire wasn’t slow to embrace gambling. The state legalized horse betting and opened its first racetrack in the 1930s. It was the first to authorize and launch a state lottery in the US. Plus, it passed some of the most liberal charitable gambling laws in the country in the late 70s. However, this momentum dwindled with the dawn of the new millennium.
Two horse betting bills were the only pro-gambling legislature New Hampshire successfully passed between 1980 and late 2010. An attempt at legalizing racinos failed in 2008, and the state still prohibited all forms of electronic gambling and had no traditional land-based casinos or poker rooms.
Sadly, the situation hasn’t changed much since then. The state still lacks standard real-money gambling venues. Brick-and-mortar sports bars with table games are the only places New Hampshire residents can play live poker.
New Hampshire also doesn’t offer real-money online poker sites. The launch of online lottery and sports betting in 2018 and 2019 raised hopes for iGaming legalization. Nevertheless, NH authorities never showed an interest in this type of expansion.
Poker Laws
The following list comprises the most important NH poker laws. Check them out to learn more about the legality of poker in New Hampshire.
- New Hampshire Statute — Games of Chance Authorization
- New Hampshire Statute — Wagers
- New Hampshire Statute — Prizes
- New Hampshire Statute — Unlawful Gambling Machines
- New Hampshire Statute — Exceptions
Best Legal Poker Rooms in New Hampshire
Now that we’ve gone over NH gambling legislation, it’s time we discuss where you can play poker in this state. The following sections explore online and land-based poker rooms available to residents of the Granite State.
Legal Online Poker in New Hampshire
Like many other US states, New Hampshire doesn’t have a legal iGaming market. Its internet horse racing, sports betting, and lottery laws regulate a significant portion of its online gambling sector. Nevertheless, they lack provisions regarding online casino gambling, leaving real money online poker ambiguous.
This type of vagueness may seem confusing, but it gives New Hampshire poker fans a great deal of freedom. It provides a loophole for joining and playing at offshore online poker rooms.
If you’ve no experience with them, offshore gambling sites are platforms registered and licensed with jurisdictions outside the US. They’re not subject to any NH gambling laws and are, therefore, free to offer real-money poker games and tournaments on the internet.
Plenty of Granite State residents play on these sites daily since the law does not expressly prohibit them. If you want to give them a try, check out our list of recommendations above. It comprises the best offshore online poker rooms available to New Hampshire players today.
If offshore sites don’t seem like your cup of tea, online sweepstakes and social casinos are another viable option. These sites are based on a no-purchase-necessary principle, meaning you don’t need to deposit real money to play. As a result, their operations qualify as non-gambling and are legal in New Hampshire.
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Legal Land-Based Poker in New Hampshire
New Hampshire offers no traditional land-based casinos or poker rooms. The state never passed laws that would allow the construction of such facilities within its territory. It also lacks federally-recognized tribes that could operate tribal casinos under IGRA (Indian Gaming Regulatory Act).
Still, that doesn’t mean poker is illegal in the Granite State. Thanks to 1977 charitable gambling legislation, New Hampshire boasts 17 brick-and-mortar locations that offer live poker. The law allows them to operate in NH as nonprofits or similar organizations offering card games to raise funds for themselves. You can find more about their business model and rules in the New Hampshire laws we linked above.
How to Register at a Legal Online Poker Site in New Hampshire
To play at an online NH offshore poker room, you must sign up first. The process comprises a few simple steps. You can find them listed and outlined in the guide below.
Choose a site from this article
Check out our top offshore online poker list at the top of the page and visit each featured site.Pay attention to their cash games, tournaments, bonuses, payment methods, terms and conditions, and more.
Choose the platform whose offering suits your needs the most and visit its official website.
Sign up for an account
Open the registration form and enter your personal information.Submit your account request and check your inbox for verification messages from the poker room.
Use the verification code you’ve received to activate your account and log in.
Deposit & Play
Navigate to the Payment section and scroll through the available banking options.Choose the solution you like and deposit enough funds to claim the welcome bonus.
Wait for the funds to appear in your account balance and open the gaming library.
Browse available poker games and tournaments and start playing.
Land-Based Casinos With Live Poker
New Hampshire boasts 17 land-based venues that offer charitable gambling. Despite not being standard casinos or poker rooms, these locations host real-money live poker games. Their game selection includes classics like Hold’em and Omaha and niche variations like Stud and Three Card Poker. Many of them also run regular tournaments and offer special poker promotions.
All Granite State residents and visitors aged 21 and over can play at any of these establishments. If you’re interested, look through the list below. It includes the names and addresses of the most popular New Hamsphore land-based gambling venues.
- Ocean Gaming at Hampton Beach — 81 Ocean Boulevard, 2nd Floor Hampton, NH
- Boston Billiard Club & Casino — 55 Northeastern Boulevard, Nashua, NH
- The Brook — 319 New Zealand Road, Seabrook, NH
- Lakes Region Casino — 1265 Laconia Road, Belmont, NH
- Chasers Poker Room — 7 Veterans Memorial Parkway, Salem, NH
Other Resources
Final Thoughts
New Hampshire boasts a fascinating gambling history. It was one of the first US states to legalize horse betting and lottery. It also passed some of the most expansive charitable gambling laws. However, this trend didn’t last long. The state never opened traditional land-based casinos and poker rooms or attempted to legalize online poker.
Even so, NH poker fans remain loyal to their hobby. Many of them play this casino classic at online offshore poker rooms that accept Granite State players. You can do the same by browsing our top offshore casino list above and choosing a site that meets your needs. Enjoy!
FAQ
Is online poker legal in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire poker legislation dates from before the internet, so it does not mention online games. Online poker remains unregulated in this state.
Can I play land-based poker in New Hampshire?
Yes, you can. The Granite State authorized a list of card games, including poker, in 1977. Today, it offers 17 land-based gambling locations that host live poker games. They might not have the space or capacity of traditional casinos, but they feature multiple poker variants and hold tournaments.
What’s New Hampshire's legal gambling age?
The legal gambling age in New Hampshire varies by category. You can play the lottery and bingo games if you’re 18, but you must be at least 21 to enter its casino-like venues and enjoy card games like poker.
Do online offshore poker rooms offer mobile play?
Absolutely. The best offshore poker rooms have mobile-optimized websites compatible with a variety of operating systems. For a list of the best ones, check out our recommendations above. All featured operators have mobile-friendly platforms and offer smooth gaming experiences on iOS and Android devices.