Good Work from New Hampshire: Making Responsible Gaming Proactive
Former casino executive Jim Rafferty sold his charity casino business in New Hampshire more than three years ago, and now has devoted his efforts to help address the problem gambling issue in the state. He explains how that came about and why everyone in the state and beyond needs to care.
Since August 28, 1978, the day I walked off the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas degree in hand, I worked in casinos all over North America. It was Good Work. It was hard work with long hours and head-scratching problems, but at the end of the day I thought the casinos where I worked threw a great party day after day after day. That is what casinos do! It all ended abruptly on May 1, 2023, the day my wife Sarah and I, who are inseparable partners, sold our business. New Hampshire Charitable Gaming LLC was done. Non-disclosure agreements signed, non-compete agreements in place, and a new reality. What do we do now?
Time off, rest and relaxation, international travel—Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Morocco, the UAE, Turkey, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and Canada (we really like Canada!). I will save you some time; the big lesson is everyone is worried about and sick of the Russians. For Sarah and I it was a wonderful time, unbelievable sights, happy and hospitable people, and great food. Enough of that.
On August 8, 2024 Sarah and I founded and organized the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gaming (NHCRG). We gathered an all-star board of directors—retired New Hampshire Senator Lou D’Allasandro, Nashua, New Hampshire Mayor Jim Donchess, ex-State Senator Peggy Gilmour, and long-time casino executive Dave Wirshing—all willing to give their time and talents to help people afflicted by problem gambling behaviors. There seemed to us to be a serious need.
Problems Mount
Let me be clear, I am not anti-gambling. I believe gambling is a legitimate and enjoyable form of entertainment for most people. My entire 45-year career supported this belief. I worked in casinos in 10 states and Mexico. I opened 11 casinos. And I personally enjoy gambling in a limited and responsible way.
But, the United States in general, and my home state of New Hampshire in particular, has doubled-down on gambling. Charitable gaming in New Hampshire, which currently includes 13 casinos, has grown exponentially in the last five years. New games, higher bet limits, sports betting and, perhaps most concerning, betting on smart phones. Gambling is no longer confined to a trip to the casino, which inherently has controls, but rather has expanded to lottery programs, online table and slot games, and all manner of sports betting. Revenues increased and problem gambling did also.
It is important to say at this point of the story it is not the case that nobody cares about the problem. In New Hampshire the legislature cares, the governor cares, the state lottery cares, local government cares, the health care community cares, and the men and women on the streets and communities care. This is New Hampshire and we care about each other.
Hard Work
However, caring is not enough. We need to get to work. We need to become problem solvers. The good news is there has been much Good Work going on. The National Council for Problem Gambling has been working the problem since 1972. They run a national hotline. They train and help qualify certified gambling treatment therapists. They research what works and does not work. They find research dollars to continue the Good Work.
For the last two years I have attended the National Conference of NCPG. For someone who spent 45 years in the casinos business I was amazed at how uninformed I was to the nature and magnitude the problem. Not so much to the number of people affected; I knew of the studies generated from National Gambling Impact Study Commission and the America Gaming Association conducted by the famous Dr. Howard Shaffer of Harvard Medical School, that 2 percent to 3 percent of any given population will be seriously affected by problem gaming. Those projected numbers, first published in 1999, have held up for years.
The moment of enlightenment, experienced at the NCPG conference in 2025 in Colombus, Ohio, was the depth of the despair that is generated. When I sat in the same room, in large groups and small groups, as professional counselors relayed their experience, the real-life stories hit home. It was a significant learning experience.
I did know of the despair; players in casinos had told me. As a casino executive one night, over 20 years ago, I was walking out to garage after an enjoyable casino event with one of our best players. She told me a sad story of how she feared going to a family barbeque the next day because she knew her 35-year-old daughter would corner her and ask her how much lost at the casino? She had had these arguments before and they always blew over but they were always painful. But not until I heard the therapists describe their efforts to help these families did I understand the extent and complexity of the damage that was at times wrought by problem gambling behaviors.
Joining Forces
In New Hampshire we have had the New Hampshire Counsel on Problem Gaming for many years. Underfunded for years, they focus on running a 24-hour hotline and organizing Gamblers Anonymous meetings around the state. They did—and to this day do—good work. But the fact of the matter is there is more to be done. There are two sides to the problem gambling issue: intervention and prevention. Through intervention we need to help those who are addicted. Immediate assistance is often needed, and the New Hampshire Counsel on Problem Gaming has worked tirelessly to provide this.
The prevention side of the issue is equally important, and this is why we founded the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gaming (NHCRG). Through building awareness of the problem, by advocacy, training and development, we strive to address problem gambling issues and create solutions for individuals and organizations before a crisis arises. We are here to help.
The NHCRG is dedicated and committed to addressing problem gambling at its roots. As our inaugural event, we are hosting the New Hamphsire Summit for Responsible Gambling, to be held September 22, 2026 at Southern New Hampshire University. Speakers include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, influential in sports betting legislation, and former Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling Keith Whyte. Breakfast and lunch are included. Additional details and registration are available at nhcfrg.org.
We ask you to get involved in finding solutions for a growing crisis in problem gambling. Led by our motivated and experienced staff of experts including Conference Coordinator Allison McCoy ([email protected]), PR Coordinator Josh ([email protected]), Technology Coordinator Loren Foxx ([email protected]) and Research Coordinator Barbara Rollins (Barbara@nhcfrg,org), we believe that Good Work is good for you. Whatever your interest, your career, your cause, you can make a difference. Your community needs you. Your state needs you. Your country needs you.
Jim Rafferty and his wife of 38 years, Sarah, are the founders of the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gaming (NHCRG). In 2006, Rafferty and his partners focused on an emerging side of the casino business, the concept of charity gaming, which had recently been legalized in New Hampshire. Charity gaming in New Hampshire required that 35 percent of a casino’s gaming revenue be designated to certified New Hampshire charities. In the following years, they developed, owned and operated several small-scale, low-bet limit casinos. Over the 16 years of operations, the casinos donated $7.8 million to more than 100 New Hampshire charities. Prior to New Hampshire, Rafferty worked primarily in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, Nevada but also worked in the casino industry in New Jersey, Colorado, Iowa, West Virginia, Indiana, Mississippi, Mexico, and New York.
