TLDR
- New Hampshire’s Supreme Court upheld the revocation of Andy Sanborn’s Concord Casino gaming license on Oct. 28.
- The court also backed regulators’ refusal to approve a buyer or extend Sanborn’s deadline to sell.
- A proposed sale worth up to $40 million fell apart over concerns about the buyer’s finances and Sanborn’s ongoing role.
- Sanborn pleaded guilty in July to stealing $255,232 in federal pandemic relief funds.
- Prosecutors plan to recommend a prison sentence of one year and one day.
New Hampshire’s Supreme Court has upheld the revocation of a casino license held by former Republican state senator Andy Sanborn. The ruling came on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The court rejected an appeal from Sanborn and his company, Win Win Win LLC. The company ran Concord Casino in the state capital.
The decision also backed the New Hampshire Lottery and Gaming Commission on two other points. The commission had refused to approve a buyer for the casino and declined to extend Sanborn’s deadline to sell.
Why Sanborn Had to Sell Concord Casino
State investigators concluded that Sanborn improperly obtained $844,000 in federal pandemic relief loans. They alleged he spent some of the money on two Porsches and a Ferrari.
After that finding, Sanborn was ordered to sell Concord Casino. The casino closed in January 2024.
His gaming license was later revoked because he did not complete a sale to a buyer approved by regulators.
Sanborn had lined up a deal with an unnamed buyer that could have been worth up to $40 million. It included a $10 million upfront price and another $30 million in payments over five years.
Those later payments depended on certain conditions. One was the buyer getting approval to run historic horse racing machines.
Regulators rejected the deal. They questioned whether the buyer had the money to complete it and whether Sanborn would keep strong influence over the casino.
Sanborn argued that regulators unfairly blocked the sale. He said their actions effectively destroyed the value of his business.
The Supreme Court disagreed. It found that the commission’s decisions were supported by the evidence.
Guilty Plea and Pending Charges
In July, Sanborn pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing $255,232 in pandemic relief funds. He admitted he used money meant for his business to pay for personal expenses.
The plea followed a yearslong investigation into his use of Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds. The Small Business Administration runs that program.
State investigators had alleged that Sanborn hid the casino’s identity on his loan applications. Gambling businesses were not eligible for the aid.
They also accused him of using relief money to buy two Porsches and a Ferrari for his wife, Laurie Sanborn. She is a former state representative.
Sanborn also faces separate state fraud charges. Prosecutors allege he inflated casino revenues by more than $1 million to get more pandemic aid.
Under his federal plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of one year and one day in prison. The final sentence will be decided by the court.
With Wednesday’s ruling, the future of Concord Casino remains uncertain.
