Lebanon — Officials will discuss this week whether to ask voters to allow the state’s new keno lottery game to be played in the city’s bars and restaurants, but it’s not clear how much interest there is among eligible businesses.

While at least one social club says it would like to install keno monitors, other establishments said they’d likely forgo such an effort.

“I must confess, I’ve heard very little from any of my members on that,” said Rob Taylor, executive director of the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce.

Restaurants and bars aren’t clamoring for the game, he said, but that doesn’t indicate a lack of support for a ballot measure to allow keno within city limits.

Keno is played through self service machines. Players pay a minimum of $1 per card and pick 12 numbers out of 80. Drawings are held every 5 minutes, with the results displayed on a monitor.

Game play is available at participating establishments with a liquor license in communities that approve it.

Assistant Mayor Tim McNamara said he has heard little on the topic from businesses, which is partly why the City Council will take up keno during its meeting tonight.

“The feeling I have is I am not pro or con (on keno). I just think it deserves to be decided by the voters,” he said. “Leave it up to the voters and the establishments can take it or not.”

If the council votes to place the question on the March municipal ballot, there would be a public hearing in February.

The law enabling the game took effect in July, with revenue earmarked for full-day kindergarten programs statewide.

Claremont, Manchester, Concord and Berlin have decided to put the question before voters, while the city of Franklin approved the game earlier this month.

Under the law, the state charges participating businesses a $500 licensing fee, and the businesses in turn keep 8 percent of the revenue.

Peter St. Pierre, club manager of the American Legion Post 22, said keno profits could go toward the group’s charity efforts. “I think it’s a win-win for everybody,” he said. “That money could be turned back around and put back into the community.”

However, Lui Lui’s in West Lebanon won’t be installing keno machines anytime soon, owner Eric Roberts said.

“It is not anything we want to do because I feel as though it’s a distraction for our guests who come out for a nice meal and dining experience,” Roberts said on Tuesday. “We do not want to take anything away from that,”

The Lebanon Elks Club also would pass on keno, said Scott Merrihew, its exalted ruler. Many of the Elks’ members work full-time, he said, and they’re wary of dedicating too much time to installing and running the machines.

“Right now, we’re not looking into it,” he said. “We’re not sure how labor intensive it is.”

Josh Touhy, the co-owner of Salt hill pub, which has two location in Lebanon, told the Valley News in September no decision had been made on keno.

Superintendent Joanne Roberts said on Tuesday that the city school district hasn’t taken a stance on keno.

The state currently provides about $1,800 per student to school districts with kindergarten programs, according to the New Hampshire Municipal Association. But under the keno law, that number would increase by $1,100 in the 2019 fiscal year. The state then plans to gradually increase that total until it reaches $3,561 per kindergartner. However, that is partially dependent on proceeds from the game. Communities don’t need to approve keno to make receive funding.

The Lebanon City Council will discuss putting keno on the ballot at 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall.

Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.