A bill legalizing Maine online casino will remain in limbo for the time being.
Gov. Janet Mills released a list of 60 pieces of legislation she will not act on until the legislature reconvenes, including an online casino bill, LD 1164. Mills cannot veto while the lawmakers are adjourned.
The Mills administration testified against the bill during the legislative process, as did the Maine Gambling Control Unit and Gambling Control Board. Lawmakers passed the bill in June. It cleared another key administrative step in June, which sent it on to Mills.
Maine online casino bill
Lawmakers introduced the online casino bill early in the session. It was initially tabled in April.
Eventually, lawmakers picked up the legislation and guided it through the process, including the Appropriations Table, which is a significant hurdle in its own right. Of approximately 300 bills sent to the table, a committee of 13 lawmakers sent 117 to Mills.
Along with the Mills administration, the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos also testified against the bill, fearing the online expansion would cannibalize revenue.
An eventual Mills veto would take a 2/3 vote in the legislature to overturn it. That majority does not appear to exist based on the session’s votes.
Framework in Maine
If signed, the legislation would give Maine’s four tribes online casino exclusivity.
The framework would resemble the state’s online sports betting industry. Three of the tribes — Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, and Penobscot — partnered with Caesars, while the Passamaquoddy Tribe partnered with DraftKings.
Supporters argue it creates more economic activity for the tribes while also generating tax revenue for the state. Maine would tax the industry 18%, or roughly $1.8 million in its first year, according to a legislative fiscal note.
Maine sports betting launched in 2023. Since the market open, it has generated nearly $10 million for the state.
