Maine Becomes Eighth State to Ban Sweepstakes Casinos
Key Takeaways:
- Maine's ban on sweepstakes casinos took effect in mid-July, making it the 8th state with such a law on the books.
- The ban pairs with a separate law giving Maine's Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to launch regulated tribal online casino gaming, expected in late 2026.
- Until then, you can use social casinos in Maine.
Maine has joined the growing list of states shutting the door on the sweepstakes casino model, with LD 2007 taking effect and making dual-currency platforms illegal statewide.
Maine LD 2007: What the Law Does
Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 2007 on April 6, and the law took effect roughly 90 days later, in mid-July. It targets platforms that use a "dual-currency system of payment," and that simulate casino-style gaming, including slots, table games, bingo, lottery-style games, and sports wagering.
Civil penalties range from $10,000 to $100,000 per violation, with fines directed to Maine's Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund. The Maine Gambling Control Unit or Gaming Control Board can also revoke the gaming license of any current operator found to be operating or promoting a sweepstakes platform.
With this law, Maine becomes the 8th state to formally ban the dual-currency sweepstakes model, following Indiana's HB 1052, which took effect July 1.
Why Did Maine Ban Sweeps Casinos Now?
Maine's ban arrives alongside a separate law, LD 1164, which Mills allowed to become law without her signature back in January, legalizing tribal online casino gaming in the state. Under LD 1164, Maine's Wabanaki Nations hold exclusive rights to operate licensed iGaming platforms, with a launch expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
Taken together, the two laws draw a clear line: Maine wants online casino-style gaming to run through its new regulated tribal framework, not through unlicensed sweepstakes platforms.
Roughly 50 to 60 sweepstakes operators were reportedly serving Maine players at the time LD 2007 was signed, and several had already begun exiting the state ahead of the deadline.
What This Means for Maine Casino Players
If you've been playing on a sweepstakes casino platform in Maine, you should check your account balance and redeem any outstanding Sweeps Coins before your platform of choice exits or gets cut off.
You should still be able to play at social casinos, where virtual currency has no redeemable cash value, until real-money platforms go live.
Remember, this is a Maine-specific law targeting the dual-currency sweepstakes format specifically. It has no bearing on whether sweepstakes casinos remain legal in other states where the model continues to operate under existing frameworks. If you play on sweepstakes platforms from a state where the format remains permitted, you will still be allowed to access your favorite casinos.
