Maine Governor Janet Mills said she intends to sign LD 1164, which would authorise tribal governments to operate online gambling in the state. Mills said the market should be regulated and that the Gambling Control Unit would develop rules and standards; Wabanaki Nation leaders welcomed her decision.
The bill would establish a regulated online gambling opportunity for tribal governments in Maine.
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Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt criticised the treatment of tribal sovereignty in his State of the State address as the legislative session opened. He has vowed to veto sports betting legislation that gives tribes exclusivity, while three bills carried over from the previous year remain before lawmakers; Senator Bill Coleman said negotiations had made progress.
Maine Governor Janet Mills said she would allow legislation granting the state’s federally recognised tribes exclusive online casino rights to become law without her signature. Each tribe may partner with one licensed platform provider, with annual fees of $50,000 per platform; gaming could begin 90 days after the upcoming legislative session adjourns. Mills said she supported regulated online gambling despite concerns about public health, while state regulators and anti-gambling groups had opposed the measure.
Maine Governor Janet Mills said she would approve legislation authorising online casinos with tribal exclusivity, changing her previously stated opposition. The bill sets an 18% tax on tribal revenue, estimated to generate $1.8 million in its first year and more than $3 million annually thereafter; the Maine Gambling Board had urged a veto and raised concerns about excluding commercial casinos.
The Maine Gambling Control Unit issued proposed online casino rules on 30 September. Public comments close on 30 October, and Maine has no confirmed launch date. A federal lawsuit challenges the model reserving the market for tribes.
According to the notice, the state's gambling regulator put forward a proposed rulemaking notice for online casino on 30 September. Members of the public have until 30 October to submit comments. As yet, no confirmed launch date has been announced. Online casinos are legal in Maine, but the market is not yet live.
Maine Governor Janet Mills signed LD 2007, banning platforms that use dual-currency systems to offer sweepstakes casino games, according to the report. The law sets fines of $10,000 to $100,000 and allows licensed gambling operators involved in running or promoting the platforms to lose their licences. The report says Maine plans to launch a regulated online casino market in 2027.