Charitable gaming

The controversial overhaul of the charitable gaming laws guarantees licensed charitable organizations not less than 35-percent of the proceeds while ensuring commercial gaming operators a greater share of the business.

House Bill 1744, which became effective on July 19, transferred authority over charitable gaming from the municipalities, where the chiefs of police licensed casino nights and poker tournaments, to the New Hampshire Pari-Mutuel Commission, which also regulates harness and greyhound racing, simulcast wagering, bingo and Lucky 7. The bill also tightened the oversight of charitable organizations that run their own games of chance, which now must complete a 19-page license application, submit members running the games or serving refreshments to criminal background checks and maintain a separate bank account to defray the expenses of gaming.

When the statute was recently presented to representatives of charities many said that the regulations were so onerous that groups accustomed to running their own games would be compelled to contract with commercial gaming operators. Art Phillips of Casino Gaming Rentals, who runs charity poker games at Christmas Island Steakhouse on Fridays and Saturdays and Lochmere Golf & Country Club on Thursdays, described the application as "cumbersome, a lot of paperwork."

However, while Phillips agreed that "the small operators, the small charities are feeling the pinch," he suggested that their plight was more the result of the dynamics of charitable gaming than the requirements of the new statute. "They can't compete with the stand-alone poker rooms running charitable games," he said. These are commercial gaming operators who contract to run games on behalf of charities. Since charities are entitled to operate games of chances 10 days a year, an operator contracting with 35 charities can run a gaming house virtually year round. For instance, Sharky's Room at the Amoskeag Bingo Center in Manchester runs games six nights a week and the New Hampshire Poker Room at the Holiday Inn in Nashua seven nights a week. Hinsdale Greyhound Park offers poker five nights week and Seabrook Greyhound Park three days a week from noon to midnight.

Earlier this week, The Lodge at Belmont announced that it was licensed to offer charitable gaming and had begun courting interested charities and advertising for staff. Racetracks, which have struggled as pari-mutuel wagering has been shouldered aside by slot machines, have turned to charitable gaming to attract patrons and boost food and beverage sales.

Phillips said the small charities cannot match the winnings offered by the poker rooms and racetracks. Moreover, the poker rooms and racetracks offer games skilled dealers, thoroughly familiar with the rules, who keep the action moving at a brisk pace. "Poker players like to feel comfortable," Phillips said, "with no distractions, no surprises. Games run by volunteers can't provide that."

Meanwhile, poker, especially Texas Hold 'Em tournaments which not long ago were popular fundraisers for many charities, have lost some of their luster. Theresa Pinto, executive director of the Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce, said that the organization has abandoned casino nights because of the risk. "It was popular, but as a fundraiser the results were mixed," she said, explaining that if players beat the house at a couple of tables "you could find yourself upside down."

Others, including Bob Lawton at Funspot, believe the popularity of poker has peaked. "It always looked like a fad," Lawton said. "We recognized that its popularity was waning and haven't had one for months." Lawton said he intended to look into the new statute, but had no plans to reintroduce charitable poker or casino gaming, preferring to stick with bingo and Lucky 7.