Relative to historic horse racing licensing, establishing operations of games of chance for the benefit of the host community, and relative to charitable gaming dates for municipalities and charitable organizations.
By regulating how the revenues are distributed and ensuring that a percentage of the operations benefit the cities or towns where the games are held, SB472 signifies a shift in the approach to charitable gaming within the state. Game operators are now mandated to allocate game dates to municipalities before considering any requests from charitable organizations. This could foster enhanced collaboration between local governments and gaming entities, ensuring that community interests are prioritized in the gaming process.
Senate Bill 472 aims to revise licensing requirements for historic horse racing and establish operations for games of chance that benefit host communities in New Hampshire. The bill repeals previous regulations surrounding the sale of pari-mutuel pools, imposing new standards for licensure while extending the moratorium on issuing new licenses. It specifically enables selected game operator employers licensed under the state's gaming regulations to host games of chance, allocating a minimum number of game dates to local municipalities, which would allow them to receive revenue during designated periods.
Notably, the bill has sparked discussions regarding the implications of prioritizing host municipalities over other charitable organizations that might have traditionally benefited from gaming events. Critics may argue this could undermine revenue streams for certain charities while creating a more significant financial responsibility for game operators towards local communities. As a result, there is an ongoing debate surrounding the balance of interests between supporting local governments and ensuring funding for various charitable initiatives in the state.