Maine Governor Signs Sports Betting Bill Into Law

Article By Bryce Derouin

Last Updated: Mar 14^th, 2024

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Maine Governor Signs Sports Betting Bill Into Law

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Sports betting in Maine is officially legalized.

Gov. Janet Mills signed sports betting into law on Monday. Under LD 585, Maine’s tribes will have exclusive rights to conduct online sports betting.

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Maine’s retail casinos will be permitted to offer in-person sports betting, but the tribes will be responsible for the online market. The Wabanki Confederacy will use the revenue from online sports betting to fund education, health care and infrastructure projects. The tribes will be eligible to partner with popular mobile sportsbook operators such as FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM.

LD 585 is set to go into effect in late July.

“This law provides meaningful economic opportunities for the Wabanaki Nations,” Mill said in a media release. “It incentivizes investment in tribal communities, and it formalizes a collaboration process on policy that sets the foundation for a stronger relationship in the future.

“I am proud of the work that the Wabanaki Nations and the state put into drafting this legislation, and I am grateful for the honest effort, the extensive research and the hundreds of hours of negotiations and discussions which bore fruit in this bill. We will continue to work closely with the tribes to make progress for the Wabanaki people.”

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Maine Sports Betting

With Mills signing sports betting into law, Maine became the first state to legalize sports betting in 2022. Bettors are required to be 21 or older and physically located in Maine to place a wager.

Residents can wager on professional and college sports, but betting on Maine’s in-state colleges is not allowed.

Sports betting in Maine is regulated by the Department of Public Safety’s Gambling Control Unit. Revenue is subject to a 10% tax rate. Each of the state’s four tribes — the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac and Maliseet — are eligible for a single mobile sports betting license, which comes with a $200,000 fee and four-year terms.

LD 585 also sets out 10 four-year retail sportsbook licenses with a $4,000 licensing fee for off-track facilities and commercial tracks such as Oxford Casino and Bangor Raceway.