Maine issued new online casino legislation, potentially making it the eighth state to approve iGaming.
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Posted on: June 6, 2025, 03:16h.
Last updated on: June 6, 2025, 03:16h.
Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO | Gambling News Blog | Maine Gambling | iGaming | Politics
Maine's Special Session Sparks iGaming Debate
A surprise revival of an iGaming bill in a controversial special sessionStiffer competition and skepticism loom for the measure
In a surprising twist, lawmakers in Maine brought the online casino debate back to life last week, advancing a measure to legalize iGaming that had been shelved previously. This unexpected move comes amid a special session convened after a Democrat-led Legislature rapidly passed a two-year budget plan without the required two-thirds majority, prompted by Governor Janet Mills.
The joint standing committee, in a surprising turnaround, resurrected the online casino statute that was left abandoned in March. As such, Legislative Document 1164/House Paper 769 now moves to the Legislature's House of Representatives and Senate for further consideration.
Yet, after being tabled during the initial legislative session, many question if Maine will become the next state to authorize iGaming or if the bill will fizzle out once again.
Ante Up for iGaming in Maine
Currently, only seven states allow online casinos to operate within their borders: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia, with Rhode Island being the newest addition in 2023. With a population of just over 1.4 million, Maine presents a small potential market compared to more populous states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey.
According to the Maine Legislature's fiscal office, the state might collect approximately $1.8 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year and $3.6 million in the following year from iGaming and a 16% tax on gross revenue. This projected tax revenue represents barely a drop in the bucket for the $11.63 billion budget that the Democrats proposed.
The legislation, LD1164, grants the exclusive rights to the Wabanaki Nations - Maine's four federally recognized tribes - to participate in iGaming. If passed and signed into law, each tribe would be able to partner with one online gaming firm, with the possibility of FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM being possible suitors. The tribes already hold the exclusive rights to operate online sports betting in Maine.
High Card or Bust
Given the small potential tax benefit and fierce opposition from Maine's two land-based casino operators - Penn Entertainment and Churchill Downs, which respectively operate Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino Hotel - the odds of Maine joining the online casino fray seem daunting. Penn and Churchill contend that iGaming would divert play from their facilities, leading to reduced gross gambling revenue and other property income, subsequently causing an estimated 400 job losses and up to $67 million in reduced annual state tax revenue.
Mills, who signed the bill granting tribes the online sports betting privileges in 2022, made her stance against more gambling clear in 2021 when she vetoed legislation that would have allowed the Native American communities to open gambling businesses on their tribal lands. While the governor has not openly commented on the iGaming bill, her actions in the past suggest a cautious approach to gambling expansion.
Overall, the odds of the iGaming bill passing remain uncertain. While the potential revenue benefits and exclusive tribal rights could sway legislators, the strong opposition from land-based casinos and potential public concerns may prove challenging hurdles to overcome.
- Remarkably, a renewed debate on iGaming has surfaced in the political arena of Maine, with lawmakers rekindling discussions on the legalization of online casinos following a special session.
- As the bill, LD1164, makes its way through the Maine House of Representatives and Senate, questions swirl about its future and whether it will lead to Maine becoming yet another state to authorize iGaming.
- Currently, only a handful of states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, allow their residents to engage in online casino gaming, with Rhode Island being the most recent addition in 2023.
- The revived iGaming bill, if passed, would grant exclusive rights to Maine's four federally recognized tribes, potentially allowing partners like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM to enter the market.
- The online gaming industry is not without its opponents, with Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino Hotel, the state's two land-based casinos, expressing concerns over the potential loss of revenue and jobs if iGaming were to be legalized.
- With Governor Janet Mills maintaining a cautious stance on gambling expansion in the past, the path forward for the iGaming bill remains undecided, balancing potential revenue benefits and tribal rights against opposition from land-based casinos and public concerns.
