Published on: January 13, 2026, 04:16h.
Updated on: January 13, 2026, 04:17h.
- Legislative Changes in New Hampshire Aiming to Exclude Abortion Providers from Charitable Gaming
- The Proposed Legislation Would Prohibit Abortion Nonprofits from Being Recipients of Casino Benefits
- New Hampshire Exclusively Features Charitable Casino Operations
New Hampshire boasts 14 commercial casinos that support a chosen charity daily. Recently proposed legislation aims to disqualify nonprofits engaged in abortion services from being beneficiaries of these establishments.
The 2026 legislative session in New Hampshire commenced last week and is set to continue until the end of June.
House Bill 1338, introduced by state Representatives John Sellers (R-Grafton), Sandra Panek (R-Hillsborough), and Diane Kelley (R-Hillsborough), seeks to redefine charitable organizations to exclude abortion service providers from charitable gaming eligibility.
Under New Hampshire’s casino laws, a “charitable organization” is defined as any “bona fide religious, charitable, civic, veterans’, or fraternal or church organization, along with police and fire-fighting organizations and places of worship” registered with the state for minimally one year. HB1338 aims to revise this definition.
The proposed law states, “For the purpose of this section, ‘charitable organization’ shall not include any abortion service provider.”
Charitable Gaming Operations
In New Hampshire, 35% of the gross revenue from a charitable casino must be directed to that day’s designated nonprofit. The gaming operator retains 31.25% from slot and table games, with 31% allocated to the state. Regulatory costs consume 2.5%, while 0.25% is assigned to the Governor’s Commission on Addiction, Treatment, and Prevention.
Since the legalization of charitable casinos in New Hampshire in 2006, abortion service nonprofits have been eligible recipients of funds. On the House floor Monday, Sellers remarked that such providers aren’t contributing positively to society.
“Providing an abortion is not an act of charity. It equates to taking a life,” Sellers asserted.
Throughout much of the charitable gaming history in New Hampshire, political influence has largely been absent from the eligibility rules for nonprofits. Some advocates aim to resist HB1338 to maintain this impartiality.
“This proposed bill fosters a politically driven exclusion instead of a fair policy adjustment, raising concerns about the direction of charitable gaming regulations in the state,” expressed Jinelle Hobson, executive director at the Equality Health Center in Concord, to the Concord Monitor. “Our organization is being singled out, not for the way we operate, but due to the lawful services we provide.”
Current Abortion Regulations in New Hampshire
New Hampshire permits abortions up to 24 weeks of gestation, with exceptions in cases of fatal fetal conditions or to protect the life of the pregnant individual. Any person under 18 seeking an abortion must obtain consent from a parent or guardian at least 48 hours prior to the procedure; however, a judge can waive this requirement under certain circumstances.
The Lakes Region Pregnancy Care Center, which offers abortion services, reported receiving $63,977 from charitable gaming in Q3 of 2025, and $143,997 in Q4 of 2024.