May 24--Hub gaming officials and developers are breathing a sigh of relief after New Hampshire lawmakers shot down the latest bid to legalize casinos, but the Granite State gambling battle is far from over, experts say.

"I don't think this is the end of it. As soon as the Massachusetts casinos open, they'll start counting the dollars again," said gaming analyst Clyde Barrow, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. "The debate won't be over by any means. It will definitely resurface in New Hampshire."

The New Hampshire House rejected a budget proposal this week from Gov. Maggie Hassan seeking to legalize expanded gaming in the Granite State. Mass-achusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby had sounded alarms about the impact a Granite State casino could have on the Boston gaming market, but said he also expects New Hampshire to take another shot at some point.

"In the short term, sure, it's definitely good for our developers," Crosby told the Herald. "But everybody realizes that could happen. They could try it again."

The Herald has reported that a New Hampshire casino -- such as one floated for Rockingham Park just over the border in Salem, N.H. -- could siphon off as much as 40 percent of gaming dollars from a Boston-area gaming palace. Barrow said $70 million in gaming dollars flows out of New Hampshire annually -- a number that could "double or triple" once a Boston casino opens, which is expected in 2016.

Three proposals -- Wynn Everett, Foxwoods in Milford and Caesars at Suffolk Downs -- are competing for a Greater Boston casino license.

Suffolk Downs chief executive officer Chip Tuttle said of the New Hampshire vote: "We're always looking at the marketplace, but over the long term the impact of neighboring states remains a concern. Regardless, we believe strongly in the strength of this market as we work to earn a license to develop a world class resort."

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