Another Anti-Expanded Gambling Group Forms in NH

Another anti-casino coalition has formed in New Hampshire, announcing their effort at a news conference in Concord on Wednesday, according to an AP report.

According to the report, members of the new group, called Casino Free NH, include Lew Feldstein, president of the N.H. Charitable Association for 24 years, State Rep. Marjorie Smith (D-Durham) and Alex Ray, owner of the Common Man family of restaurants.

The Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling has also been active in the state since 1991.

FixItNowNH spokesperson Rich Killion issued a statement on Wednesday regarding the new coalition:

“This morning’s press conference just offered the same old tired arguments by the same people who have been making them for well over a decade,” said Rich Killion, FixItNowNH spokesperson.  “Recycled and repackaged lines of fears that have not materialized in so many of the states that have had a limited expansion of casino gambling offers nothing new to this debate.”

The citizens of New Hampshire are tired of these old arguments.  They support a casino in NH by nearly two to one margins.  The people know this is working elsewhere and can work here as well.  The people know that SB152 offers real sustainable revenue, thousands of well paying jobs and an opportunity to take on Massachusetts to bring in millions in new visits to New Hampshire.”

“If the path offered by the old recycled arguments is pursued it simply hands over opportunity to Massachusetts and continues to allow over $70M of New Hampshire residents dollars leave our state to help other state’s budgets, fund essential services for other state’s residents and pave other people’s roads.

That’s not a path that works for New Hampshire.

Senate Bill 152, which goes before a 45-member joint House committee on Tuesday, calls for up to 150 table games and no more than 5,000 video lottery/slot machines at one casino location in the state.