At a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Jan. 21, Rep. Sally Fellows presented HB 83, which would raise the state’s minimum legal sports wagering age from 18 to 21.
Per New Hampshire Lottery financials, 18-to-20-year-olds wagered more than $14 million in FY 24, providing around $639,000 in revenue to the state.
New Hampshire is one of a small handful of regulated sports betting states that allows people as young as 18 to bet.
Argument hinged largely on young men’s brains
Fellows stressed that research shows that 18-to-20-year-old males are more likely than mature adults to engage in risky behaviors because their cognitive ability to evaluate the consequences of their actions has not completely developed.
She also pointed to the dangers of cellphone addiction among younger d..