Maine online casino bill fails in House, Senate

It was the second blow in a week for an online casino bill in a US statehouse. Maryland’s legislative session closed on 8 April without legalisation. Maine’s session is set to close on 17 April.

Maine representatives first voted 71-74 to fail the bill then, a day later, senators voted 14-20. The senate then voted to table the bill, 27-7 on 10 April.

In May 2022, Maine lawmakers passed legal sports betting, giving the state’s four tribes a monopoly. The tribes, at the time, were not seeking legal sports betting and the lawmakers were moving a bill that would have created an open, competitive marketplace through the legislature. But Governor Janet Mills was looking to offer the four tribes of the Wabanaki Nation – which do not enjoy the same level of federal recognition as tribes in most other states – an olive branch. The state and the tribes have long had a contentious relationship.

As part of the deal, the tribes are entitled to offer Maine online casino as well. But lawmakers must create a framework for that and legalising online casino has proved elusive. To date, only seven US states have done so.

In Maine, LD 1777 would have prohibited the state’s two brick-and-mortar casinos, operated by Churchill Downs Inc and Penn Entertainment, from offering online casino. Under the sports betting law, the two cannot offer digital sportsbooks, either. Both opposed the latest online casino legislation.

The bill would have set the licence at $200,000 and the tax rate at 10%.

“I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do”

Lawmakers in Maine and other states struggle with the idea of putting an array of casino games into the palms of every resident of their states.

Republican senator, Jeff Timberlake, voted against Maine online gambling.

“This is basically saying people can sit at home and play slot machines on their computer all day long and I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do,” he said according to Maine Public Radio. “It’s a real expansion of gambling in the state of Maine.”