New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill authorizing online lottery and keno ticket sales in July, unleashing a wave of anxiety over lottery officials across the border in Massachusetts. (Image: AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNew Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill in July that seeks to fund early education with revenue generated from the introduction of keno by the state’s lottery. The new law also allows New Hampshire to sell lottery and keno tickets online.<\/p>\n
Keno has been a huge success in Massachusetts since the game was introduced in 1993. Last year, the vertical hit an all-time high of $915 million in ticket sales, accounting for 18 percent of all lottery sales.<\/p>\n
Keno Craze<\/h2>\n
In this part of the United States, border crossing is simple and common, and New Hampshire plans to aggressively go after players in the region, believing their state has two advantages in not having an income tax, and having lottery sales available online.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn New Hampshire you will win 5 percent more because, unlike Massachusetts, you don\u2019t have to pay income tax,\u201d New Hampshire State Lottery Commission Executive Director Charlie McIntyre told the New Hampshire Union Leader recently. \u201cTrust me, we will be marketing that benefit in a big way.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
McIntyre arguably knows about the game’s potential better than most, as he previously served as assistant executive director and general counsel for the Massachusetts Lottery, where he oversaw the expansion of their keno product.<\/p>\n
Massachusetts suspects there is a healthy appetite for keno among the New Hampshire populace, as six of the state\u2019s ten most popular keno outlets are located within 10 miles of the border.<\/p>\n