The potential legalization of online casinos in Maine is once again up for debate in the state’s House of Representatives, but a late start means it has only two-and-half months to make it through the legislature. Last year’s bicameral effort seemed like one of the more promising pieces of iGaming legislation around the country, but came up just short.
Although the 2025 bill currently sits with the House, it includes both Representatives and Senators among its sponsors. It is also bipartisan, although more heavily supported by Democrats. The sponsors include one Republican from each chamber—Rep. Arthur Mingo and Sen. Marianne Moore—plus Rep. Aaron Dana, a non-voting representative for the Wabanaki Alliance. The remaining six sponsors are all Democrats: four from the House and two from the Senate.
Notably absent is Rep. Laura Supica, who introduced last year’s bill in the House. Although still in office, she does not appear to have involved herself in this year’s effort.
As before, the proposed legislation would expand Maine’s online sports betting framework to encompass online casino games as well. That means it would put iGaming in the hands of the Wabanaki Nations, which are the four federally recognized tribes whose lands lie within the state.
Each tribe would receive a single license, potentially making room for four operators. However, for sports betting, Caesars struck partnerships with three of the four, while DraftKings took the remaining license. The Maine online casino options would likely be the same two brands.
Maine’s legislative session began on January 8 and will end June 18. So, it has taken online casino proponents more than three months to get this far, and they now have less time than that to get the bill through both chambers.
Details of the Maine online casino bill
The most important difference from last year’s bill is an increase in the proposed tax rate, from 10% to 16%.
As with last year, the bill is very specific about how those funds would be allocated:
- 2% to the Gambling Control Unit for administrative expenses (doubled from 1% in the 2024 bill)
- 3% to the Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund (tripled from 1% in 2024)
- 3% to the Emergency 9-1-1 Fund (down one point from 4% in 2024)
- 3% to the Opioid Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Fund (up one point from 2% in 2024)
- 2% to the Emergency Housing Relief Fund (unchanged)
- 3% to the Maine Veterans’ Homes Stabilization Fund (newly added)
Licensing fees remain very low at $50,000 per year.
At 10%, Maine would have had the lowest online casino taxes of any state, which may have been one reason for the bill’s failure. Even 16% would still be very favorable to the tribes. New Jersey currently charges the least, at 15%, but an effort is underway this year to increase that to 25%.
The 2024 bill narrowly won approval in the Senate after two votes and some amendments. However, House lawmakers rejected it by a vote of 70 in favor to 75 opposed.
That narrow margin provides the most significant cause for hope this year, despite the short timeline. If a little extra tax revenue and the inclusion of veterans is enough to sway a few Representatives, that may be all it takes to get it across the finish line.
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