New Hampshire On line casino Proprietor Will get Extra Time for License Case

Embattled charitable on line casino proprietor Andy Sanborn this week was given an additional two months to arrange for a listening to. At problem is whether or not he’ll preserve his New Hampshire gaming license.

Andy Sanborn, pictured above. The New Hampshire on line casino proprietor is preventing to maintain his on line casino license. (Picture: New Hampshire Bulletin)

The New Hampshire Lottery Fee agreed to offer Sanborn’s authorized staff eight extra weeks earlier than showing at a December administrative listening to on whether or not to finish his license.

As well as, the Lottery Fee in the course of the listening to could have the next burden of proof. Now, its legal professionals must show the case, reasonably than Sanborn’s aspect disproving the case, based on New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). Additionally, the listening to officer on the case will likely be a state official exterior of the Lottery Fee.

The adjustments have been introduced on Monday to Merrimack County Superior Court docket Decide Amy Ignatius.

Sanborn wasn’t in court docket on Monday. He had a physician’s appointment, NHPR reported, including that he requested extra preparation time for the longer term listening to due to medical points and different elements.

Sanborn, a former state senator, owns New Hampshire’s Harmony On line casino, situated within the Harmony Draft Sports activities and Grill. His on line casino license is to run out on December 31, based on NHPR.

Points over Sanborn’s license come after he allegedly improperly utilized for and used $844K in COVID-19 aid funds. He allegedly used a few of the cash to purchase three automobiles, two for himself and one for his spouse, State Rep. Laurie Sanborn (R). He additionally did not disclose within the mortgage software that he owned a on line casino, officers mentioned. The aid funds couldn’t be used for a gaming property.

Sanborn’s Legal professionals Reply

On Monday, Sanborn’s authorized staff challenged a few of the state’s allegations about his funds. Legal professional Zachary Hafer mentioned his consumer had a steadiness of $150K or extra in a checking account when he bought one of many automobiles, a Porsche, in January 2022.

If somebody needs to purchase a automotive with their very own cash that they’d on the time the mortgage got here in, that’s very totally different than in the event that they took and spent the (mortgage) cash,” Hafer mentioned. “And that’s going to come back out when we have now this listening to.”

Hafer additionally informed Decide Ignatius on Monday the state’s investigation was “sloppy, at greatest,” NHPR reported. “We’re very a lot trying ahead to assembly these allegations head-on in a good continuing.”

Liens, Crude Remark

Past Sanborn’s mortgage controversy, there have been 37 tax liens (now resolved), audits, and even alleged offensive feedback he made to an intern/worker, NHPR reported.

Mr. Sanborn had made crass feedback about oral intercourse to an intern in 2013 … [and] Mr. Sanborn made ‘near-daily’ unwelcome feedback a few feminine staffer’s look,” John Conforti, chief compliance officer for the Lottery Fee, mentioned in an intensive report, quoted by NHPR.

As well as, Sanborn was sued after he closed Banagans, a New Hampshire chain of motorcycle and ski outlets. Distributors went to court docket to attempt to get better a few of the cash he owed them, NHPR reported. Three distributors tried to get him to pay greater than $300K in whole.

Suitability Questioned

Sanborn’s unique license predates the time state officers did evaluations to see if the licensee was appropriate to function a on line casino.

“As pre-2019 licensees weren’t topic to full evaluations, the Division of Justice and Lottery Fee have dedicated to conducting a full suitability assessment on the five-year interval to find out whether or not these licensees ought to stay concerned with gaming in New Hampshire,” Conforti defined in a fee doc.

There have been reportedly some makes an attempt behind closed doorways to settle the dispute between Sanborn and the Lottery Fee. In addition they contain the workplace of state Legal professional Common John Formella.