Stakes on Charity Gambling Increased

New Hampshire House Bill 1744 directs that thirty five percent of all the money in poker and casino nights, after the prizes are given, must go to the sponsor charity.

The bill sponsored by State Rep. Kenneth Weyler, R-Kingston, aims to protect the charities and to make sure they will get the fair share.

Gambling in New Hampshire is restricted to charity events and prior to the passing of the bill, there was no guidelines on how much of the share the solicitors must give to the charity every night.

Audrey Blodgett, paralegal in the charitable unit of the State's Attorney General's Office, said that in the first quarter of the year, three hundred sixty two applications for gaming were approved.

The non profits organizations, including the fraternal and veteran organizations, police, fire associations and churches, are allowed to sponsor the games.

Charities are restricted to ten days each year for the poker tournaments and Monte Carlo nights.

Monte Carlo nights also offer other popular games like blackjack and roulette.

Game revenues each night ranges from more than one thousand dollars up to twenty two thousand dollars.

Roland Bernatchez, co-owner of New Hampshire Poker that hosts poker games, said that the increase in stakes for the charity will certainly hurt their business