Extending deadline for Concord Casino deal in public’s best interest, Sanborn’s attorneys say

Former Republican lawmaker Andy Sanborn’s attorneys are pushing for an extension on the Sept. 30 deadline to sell his Concord Casino, citing that it could be in the best interest of the public. 

The Attorney General’s office and the New Hampshire Lottery Commission had found Sanborn to have fraudulently applied for and misused  $844,000 in pandemic relief funds. The funds were intended for small businesses struggling during the pandemic and were not meant for casinos. Since then, Sanborn has been asked to sell the casino, and is undergoing a criminal investigation. 

State attorney Mark Dell’Orfano argued that there is public interest in granting Sanborn an extension since the share of charitable donations his Concord Casino—operated by WIN WIN WIN LLC—were one of the lowest in the state. 

New Hampshire has a charitable gaming model, meaning that casinos must donate at least 35% of revenues to charities and nonprofits, the state receives 10%, and the rest can be retained. 

Despite smaller contributions, the money from Concord Casino continues to offer help to nonprofits in the state.

“While there’s a public interest in putting these monies to work for not-for-profits, there’s no public interest in allowing Mr. Sanborn a financial windfall from selling his gaming license,” Dell’Orfano said, as reported by the Concord Monitor. 

If Sanborn fails to sell the casino by the deadline, he will lose his gaming license for two years, and stands to lose any proceeds from the transaction.