CONCORD — KENO 603 continues to receive statewide support, with voters in 56 out of 72 communities voting in favor of the game at town meetings this month.
The New Hampshire Lottery anticipates KENO 603 could ultimately generate as much as $9 million in profit a year.
As part of the legislation establishing KENO 603 as a funding source for full-day kindergarten, individual municipalities have the option to allow KENO 603 by putting it on city election ballots or the warrant of annual town meetings. The communities of Chester, Conway, Newport and Washington are scheduled to vote on it over the next few months.
“The support for KENO 603 has been outstanding and it tells us voters can see the benefits this new game brings to local businesses,” said Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery. “Within the 56 communities voting in favor of KENO 603 … there are hundreds of local restaurants and taverns eligible to offer this new game. We’ll be continuing our statewide efforts to facilitate the implementation process for interested businesses.”
The cities of Berlin, Claremont, Franklin, Laconia, Manchester, Nashua, and Somersworth approved KENO 603 during municipal elections last year, allowing the New Hampshire Lottery to launch the new game in December. Currently, more than 50 establishments offer KENO 603, with statewide sales exceeding $2.8 million.
The following 56 towns voted in favor of KENO 603 during Town Meeting during the past week:
Albany, Alton, Auburn, Barnstead, Belmont, Bethlehem, Boscawen, Bow, Center Harbor, Charlestown, Colebrook, Danville, Derry Milton, Enfield, Epping, Errol, Gorham, Goshen, Hampton, Haverhill/Woodsville, Henniker, Hinsdale, Hooksett, Hudson, Jaffrey, Lancaster, Lincoln, Littleton, Madison, Milford, Newbury, Newmarket, Northfield, Northumberland/Groveton, Ossipee, Pelham, Pembroke, Pittsburg, Pittsfield, Plaistow, Raymond, Rollinsford, Salem, Sandown, Seabrook, Shelburne, Stewartstown, Tilton, Troy, Warren, Weare, Wilton and Winchester.
During each KENO 603 game, players choose from one to 12 numbers, and every five minutes between 11:05 a.m. and 11 p.m. a computer randomly generates and displays 20 winning numbers from 1 to 80 on a television monitor. A player may place a wager from $1 to $25 per game. The more numbers players match, the more they win.
Beginning in 2019, the state will utilize revenue generated from KENO 603 to increase funding for full-day kindergarten from $1,800 per student to $2,900.
To learn more about KENO 603 and to apply to become a retailer, visit http://www.nhlottery.com/keno.
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