Maine Online Casinos Bill On Governor’s Desk

Maine could be the next state with regulated online casinos.

The legislature approved a bill in June, but Gov. Janet Mills declined to either sign it into law or veto it before the legislative session ended. Now, under state law, the bill becomes law unless she vetoes it by the third day of the new legislative session, which began on Wednesday.

While she contemplates the measure, a survey of Maine voters showed that a majority of respondents were opposed to adding iGaming to the state’s gambling menu.

Online Poker Included In Bill

Mills originally opposed the bill when it was introduced and even signaled that she would veto it. The Maine Gambling Control Unit, the Gambling Control Board, and the state’s two commercial casinos also came out against the plan.

LD1164 would legalize online gaming through the state’s four federally recognized tribes, which already have exclusive rights to mobile sports betting. The bill sets the tax rate for online gaming at 18%.

A fiscal note attached to the bill estimated the state could receive $1.8 million in tax revenue in 2025-26 and twice that in 2026-27. Unlike some states considering iGaming legalization, such as New York, Maine isn’t facing a budget shortfall.

The government actually enjoyed a $152 million surplus in the last fiscal year. Tribal leaders, however, see the legislation as an additional way for them to become more financially stable.

“We know how to do this the right way,” said Rep. Brian Reynolds, the tribal representative for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. “We’ve seen how the regulation of sports wagering has worked in Maine quietly, efficiently, with no disruption to local communities. iGaming will be no different. We are asking for the chance to build.”

The bill includes the legalization of online poker, which could possibly add a state with a population of 1.4 million to the country’s Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement pool.

Strong Opposition

Despite bipartisan approval of the bill, significant opposition remains. The legislation cuts the state’s two commercial casinos, Hollywood Casino in Bangor and Oxford Casino in Oxford, from the industry. As a result, officials from the two casinos are against the bill.

A recent survey by the National Association Against iGaming points to opposition among Maine residents. The poll found that 64% of voters oppose legalizing iGaming. Of those, 49% strongly opposed legalization. Respondents expressed concerns about potential harm to children, families, and communities.

“If Maine allows iGaming to become law, the state will stand out as an outlier in New England and across the country at a time when other governors and legislatures are hearing from their constituents and choosing not to move forward with this highly addictive form of gambling,” NAAiG Executive Vice President and Monarch Casino General Counsel Jason Gumer said.

“The results ring loud and clear: Maine voters reject iGaming when they understand it puts a 24/7 casino on the same smartphones their kids use.”