Casino bill a bust in N.H. House

Casinos are officially off the table.

The New Hampshire House on Thursday dealt a crushing blow to this year’s expanded gambling bill, not only defeating the two-casino option, but also voting to effectively bar consideration of any more proposals for the remainder of the two-year session.

The casino bill failed on a 275-82 vote. Critics argued the casinos would give rise to gambling addiction and suck money away from local businesses. Some past casino supporters detracted this year, in wake of the recent sale of Rockingham Park, which has long been considered a prime spot for casino development.

The bill had already cleared the Senate, with supporters saying it would boost state revenues. Sponsor Lou D’Allesandro, who has long proposed casino bills, was not available for comment.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/House-puts-off-casino-question-all-session-9677162