New Hampshire Court Upholds Revocation of Casino License

The New Hampshire Supreme Court has upheld the decision to revoke the casino license of former Republican state senator Andy Sanborn. In a ruling issued on Wednesday, October 28, the court rejected the appeal filed by Sanborn and his company, Win Win Win LLC. The company operated the Concord Casino in Concord, the state capital.

The ruling also supported the New Hampshire Lottery and Gaming Commission's decision not to approve the proposed buyer and not to extend the deadline given to Sanborn to sell the business. State investigators concluded that Sanborn had unlawfully received 844,000 dollars in federal pandemic relief loans. Part of the money is alleged to have been spent on two Porsches and a Ferrari.

The casino closed in January 2024. Sanborn reportedly reached a deal with an unnamed buyer for roughly 40 million dollars. The agreement included a 10 million dollar upfront payment and 30 million dollars to be paid over five years. However, the commission did not find the buyer's financing capacity acceptable, or the fact that Sanborn's influence over the business would continue. Sanborn argued that regulators had blocked the sale and destroyed the value of the business. The court, however, ruled that the commission's decisions were supported by evidence.

In July, Sanborn pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing 255,232 dollars in pandemic relief funds. He also admitted to transferring money set aside for the business to his personal expenses. The case emerged from years of investigation into Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds managed by the Small Business Administration.