SEABROOK - New Hampshire legislators reacted strongly yesterday to comments by New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, who said he would not support pro-gambling legislation unless "absolutely convinced it wouldn't have an effect on our quality of life."

Lynch, speaking on New Hampshire Public Radio's "The Exchange," said he was "almost" certain he wouldn't support pro-gaming legislation.

"It's not going to happen this year," he said. "There is not the political will for it to happen."

Local lawmakers in Seabrook and Salem, N.H., two likely sites for video gambling, responded yesterday with frustration and resignation - gambling legislation has largely been seen as the only way to revitalize Seabrook's Yankee Greyhound Park and Salem's Rockingham Park horse racing track, and Lynch's support has been seen as key to getting that legislation passed.

State Rep. Mark Preston, D-Seabrook, who is also a police sergeant in town, said he'd like to see video gambling come to Seabrook, viewing it as a boon to the economy that would have no serious impact on the quality of life here.

Preston said Yankee Greyhound Racing Park was already open in Seabrook when he became a police officer here. The largest impact the park has had on the town is probably traffic, he said.

"I think it would be great," Preston said yesterday. "I'd love to see it happen. It would help our town. It would rejuvenate the dying dog racing industry here."

Preston said the money spent by those who'd travel to Seabrook to gamble would be a boon not only to the state economy, but to the local economy as well.

"I think it would be a boon to the local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and retail sales," Preston said. "And when people stay in our hotels and eat in our restaurants, they'd pay state rooms and meals tax. When they'd buy gas here, they'd pay state gas. I think the pros way outweigh the cons."

Legislators in the Salem, N.H., area think such a measure will take the governor's leadership.

"It's very, very unlikely that the Democrats would buck the governor on an issue like that," said Rep. Jason Bedrick, R-Salem.

Sen. Michael Downing, R-Salem, agreed.

"I honestly believe nothing will get passed unless the governor comes out publicly to support it, as Gov. (Deval) Patrick did in Massachusetts," he said.

But both lawmakers expressed frustration that Lynch wouldn't support some sort of gambling measure.

"There already is gambling at Rockingham Park," said Bedrick, referring to the charity poker tournaments and horse racing at the track. Seabrook also has nightly charity poker tournaments, as well as simulcast racing.

Advocates of an expanded gambling operation have argued that the state should legalize video slot machines. The state would make about $147 million a year in tax revenue from those slots, according to an analysis by The Innovation Group, an economic forecaster hired by Millennium Gaming.

Millennium owns a 20 percent stake in Rockingham Park and hopes to expand gambling there. A representative for the company could not be reached late yesterday afternoon.

Last week, Millennium hosted a presentation for town and state officials - arguing that gambling legislation should pass.

Preston said he understands that there are people who have gambling addictions and there are people who are addicted to alcohol as well, but the state still sells beer, wine and liquor.

In addition, Preston said having video gambling machines in the state racetracks would keep the money in state that residents are spending out of state when they travel on bus tours to Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun and Atlantic City to gamble.

As a law enforcement officer, Preston sees another plus to allowing video gambling machines at state approved and regulated venues.

"Right now there's a lot of social clubs that have illegal video gambling machines," Preston said. "In those establishments, the machines don't have any regulated odds. They can keep 99 percent of the money and pay back 1 percent to the people playing. If video gaming was legalized at racetracks, the odds would be regulated by the state. That would put the illegal games out of business."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.