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Committee reviews modernization of bingo rules; debate over raising prize cap to $6,000
Summary
Senate Bill 73 would adjust bingo rules including changing a carryover cover-all number and raising a maximum prize cap from $4,000 to $6,000. The hearing drew commercial halls, volunteers and lottery officials with mixed views on impacts to small halls and problem-gambling safeguards.
Senate Bill 73, presented to the Senate Ways and Means Committee by Sen. Sharon Lang, would modernize several provisions in New Hampshire's charitable gaming statutes, including changing the carryover "cover-all" ball count back toward long-standing practice (from 50 to 49) and increasing the maximum allowable per-night prize limit from $4,000 to $6,000.
"This bill I'm bringing before you is at the request of the industry," Lang said. She described the measure as updating an old statute and said the change to the cover-all ball count and the prize cap would help bingo halls remain competitive with other gaming options.
Representatives of commercial halls, distributors and bingo operators offered differing perspectives. Jan DiMarzio, general manager…
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