Skip to main content

Is this the year for Keno?

Image
News Date
Body

In 2017 New Hampshire legislators will draft a budget for the next two years. Rep. Gary Azarian has already proposed a possible new revenue source: Keno.

Keno is a lottery game offered in bars and some other establishments that serve alcohol. A player selects numbers on a slip, and a computer generates random numbers every four minutes. The player gets a payout for matching numbers from the computer and the slip.

Establishments offering Keno would share profits with the state.

A Keno bill passed the House in 2016, but the Senate killed the bill.  With eight new senators in 2017, Keno might have a chance.

Supporters of Keno point out that Massachusetts border towns already offer the game, depriving New Hampshire of potential revenue. 

Last spring Charlie McIntyre, Director of the New Hampshire Lottery, testified that “somewhere between $20 and $25 million of Keno sales are to New Hampshire citizens in Massachusetts.” 

Keno opponents argue that the game is as addictive as slot machines. 

As Robert Kay, vice president of the board of the New Hampshire Council of Churches, testified in 2014, "Gamblers can and do wipe out paychecks, family food budgets and worse in one evening at Keno locations, which over time would be located within a very short distance from virtually every New Hampshire household.” 

Do you support Keno in 2017?  Let us know in the comments.

(Image by Santeri Viinamäki)

Comments

Login or register to post comments

Thank you to our sponsors and donors