This bill introduces a local option for municipalities to vote on prohibiting games of chance, including Keno, within their boundaries by amending RSA 287-D with a new section (287-D:32). If a municipality votes to prohibit these games, the lottery commission will not issue licenses for their operation, and Keno will be automatically permitted unless a municipality votes otherwise. The bill also allows municipalities to rescind their prohibition through a similar voting process and requires the lottery commission to maintain a list of municipalities that have chosen to prohibit games of chance.

Additionally, the bill modifies licensing fees and reporting requirements for charitable gaming. It deletes the requirement for annual statements from licensees regarding changes to their information and instead mandates immediate notification to the commission in the event of an arrest or conviction. The bill also changes the expiration of secondary game operator licenses to a fixed term of three years from the date of issuance and significantly increases licensing fees across various categories. The new fee structure includes a facility license at $750 for three years, a game operator employer license at $2,250 for three years, a primary game operator license at $300 for three years, and a secondary game operator license at $90 for three years. The effective dates for the bill's provisions are set for January 1, 2027, and July 1, 2025, for other sections.

Statutes affected:
As Amended by the Senate: 284:42, 284:45, 287-D:7, 287-D:8, 287-D:9, 287-D:10, 287-D:13