Online Casino Gambling Coming to Maine, Tribes Gain Exclusive iGaming Rights
Following Governor Janet Mills' (D) announcement that she would permit an iGaming bill passed by the State Legislature last session to become law, Maine became the eighth state to authorize online casino gambling.
The four federally recognized tribes in Maine are granted exclusive rights to iGaming under Legislative Document 1164. Each of the Wabanaki Nations—the Penobscot, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Maliseet—will be permitted to collaborate with one online casino platform, or skin.
According to LD1164, online casinos must give the state 16% of their gross gaming profits. The state's Opioid Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Fund will get three percent of the tax income, three percent will support Maine's emergency response fund, and three percent will go toward problem gambling assistance programs. The Emergency Housing Relief Fund receives 2%, the Maine Veterans' Homes Stabilization Fund receives 3%, and the state gaming regulator receives the remaining 2% for administrative expenses.
In Maine, online sports betting is already exclusively available to the Wabanaki Nations. Three of the tribes joined together with Caesars Sportsbook and divided the profits to prevent oversaturation. DraftKings and the Passamaquoddy are partners.
Maine has authorized iGaming together with Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. iGaming is likewise restricted to Connecticut's federally recognized tribes.
Mills's Heart Changes
Mills' veto of the iGaming bill was anticipated. Mills has consistently voiced opposition to increased gaming throughout her tenure as governor. After meeting with tribal chiefs, she finally granted the tribes access to iGaming.
"This fall, I met with the five elected Chiefs of the Wabanaki Nations, who each spoke passionately about the importance of this bill in offering life-changing revenue for Tribal communities, as well as providing a form of economic sovereignty for their Nations,” said Mills. “I considered this bill carefully, and while I have concerns about the impacts of gambling on public health, I believe that this new form of gambling should be regulated, and I am confident that Maine’s Gambling Control Unit will develop responsible rules and standards to hold providers of this new form of gambling accountable while ensuring that Maine’s tribes benefit from its operations.”
"It has always been my strong desire to work with Tribal leaders to improve the lives and livelihoods of the Wabanaki Nations," Mills continued.
Opposition to Casinos
The iGaming measure was opposed by the two casinos in Maine, Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino Hotel & Sportsbook. Oxford's owner and operator, Churchill Downs, is a National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) member.
"For the past 15 years, Maine’s two licensed casinos have generated more than half a billion dollars in tax revenue for the state. That funding has supported education, public safety, community programs, local aid, and tribal allocations. This record of shared success is not theoretical. It is measurable, transparent, and relied upon by communities across Maine. It is important to be clear. Tribal nations already benefit from the existing casino tax structure. Opposition to this bill is not about excluding tribes or protecting narrow interests. It is about preserving a model that has worked for Maine workers, Maine communities, and tribal governments alike. Dismissing these concerns as self-interested complaints ignores both the facts and the substantial public stake involved.”
According to the NAAiG, only 16% of Maine people support online gaming, indicating a substantial opposition to iGaming.
