eeMaine isn’t really a gambling hotspot or a sports team hotspot. They aren’t really the first state you’d think of to legalize sports betting off the bat. Since the PASPA ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court in May 2018, several states have jumped in with both feet and legalized betting and are already seeing millions of dollars of revenue pour in.

Maine Sports Betting News

Jul 25, 2023

Maine Sports Betting Remains on Track for 2023 Rollout

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Nov 18, 2022

Maine Online Sports Betting Expected to Rollout By 2024

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May 4, 2022

It's Official, Maine Is Next To Get Legal Sports Betting

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Mar 17, 2024

How Much is Florida Online Sports Betting Worth to The Sunshine State?

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Opposition to Sports Betting

Maine is not one of those states. Many lawmakers, casinos, and even the Governor of the state are heavily against sports betting. In February 2020, there was a vote by House representatives that would override the veto by Governor Janet Mills, which took sports betting off the table, and there weren’t enough votes to do so.

Maine Casinos

There are two casinos, none of which are tribal casinos and are commercially owned out-of-state. Maine is the only state to have this; many states would prefer to regulate and bring in that revenue for their own gain. These casinos lobbied heavily against the potential of sports betting in the state due to there being online sports betting incorporated into the bill.

What’s next for sports betting in Maine? Well, now that we're in 2021, sports betting is back before the Maine Legislature, but things are still complicated. There is still a great deal of opposition to the bill, but as the year progresses we will know more regarding what may happen.

Poker and Online Gambling

Poker is also illegal in Maine – yet you can still walk into a card room in the casinos and play poker. Some of the laws are confusing and don’t make much sense – they obviously need a revamp.

Due to dated laws around gambling, online gambling isn’t mentioned in them, so technically you aren’t breaking any laws when betting online. You can sign up to play online poker, bet on sports online, you name it – and nothing really can be done about it.

They passed a law in 2017 to legalize and allow Daily Fantasy Sports, which includes fantasy football and basketball. Residents can sign up for DFS contests on DraftKings or FanDuel and also play in leagues. This was a promising start for Maine, and had many believing sports betting was on the way after the 2018 PASPA ruling.

Can I bet on sports in Maine?

Currently, no. Sports betting in the state of Maine is considered illegal - there are no licensed sports betting venues where you can place a wager legally, and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon.

You can bet on sports in Maine at an online sportsbook. There are no real options other than that just yet, so betting online will have to do for now. You can sign up at an online sportsbook, and create your account, make a deposit and you can bet within minutes. It’s very simple and convenient – especially if you want to place a bet from a sports bar or on the go.

SportsbookAvailable In Maine
FanDuel
DraftKings
Caesars
FoxBet
BetRivers
BetMGM
PointsBet
UniBet

A Brief Timeline of the Legality of Maine Sports Betting

  • January 23, 2024 – Maine sports betting, initiated in November 2023, faces a potential halt in November 2024 due to unresolved licensing issues.
  • January 10, 2024 – Maine legislators advocate for the legalization of iGaming in 2024, complementing the existing online sports betting market that commenced in 2023.
  • November 3, 2023 – The first online sports bets in Maine are taken by Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings at 9:00 a.m. ET.
  • July 19, 2023 – The Maine Gambling Control Unit plans to issue temporary licenses and launch legal sports betting in November 2023.
  • January 13, 2023 – Maine’s sports betting rules are released, and the launch may occur between April 2023 and January 2024.

Maine Sports Betting Legalization Timeline

2018-2020: Early Hope Goes Nowhere

With the possibility in 2018 for states other than Nevada to legalize sports betting and start bringing in the revenue, Maine got started early. In that same year, though progress was made, they were not able to pass meaningful sports betting legislation.

Both chambers of the legislative branch passed a bill to legalize sports betting. It was right at the close of the session. So, the governor, who seemed unsure about her decision, was able to leave it unsigned until the following year's sessions.

On the last day possible, she vetoed the bill. If she had left it unsigned one more day, it would have automatically become law.

2021: Little Action

Due to Governor Mill's rejection of sports betting legalization, there has been little action on this front. It seems like not even the deep cuts into state's revenues during the pandemic was enough to move this state towards legalization.

Maine betting sites

Top Online Sportsbooks for Betting in Maine

Finding a reliable, trustworthy online sportsbook is important when it comes to managing your hard-earned money. Before you sign up, you need to do your research and ensure that the sportsbook is legitimate and secure. We have used many sportsbooks in our day, and we compiled a list of the top sportsbooks (in our opinion) and reviewed important criteria that bettors should look for when line shopping.

First, check out the deposit options. Many sportsbooks have limited options and if your preferred payment method isn’t there, you will either have to go elsewhere or find a new payment option. Sign up bonuses are a great thing to keep in mind as many sportsbooks give you free money to bet with, if you deposit $50, they might do a 100% match bonus – giving you $100 to bet with, with a few rules of course. You usually have to rollover your bets several times, before you can cash out.

Ensuring you look at all of these factors can help you choose a great online sportsbook for betting, especially in Maine. Reading sportsbook reviews and making sure your preferred sportsbook is available to U.S. citizens is important, as there are many blocks to offshore sportsbooks in the United States.

maine gambling sites

Maine Casinos

Out-of-state companies own only a few commercially operated casinos in Maine. It remains uncertain whether the next sports betting bill will name these casinos as potential homes for sportsbooks. Their last bills have stated most of the sports betting will be conducted online.

Churchhill Downs Inc. owns and operates The Oxford Casino located in Oxford, Maine. While the newest casino in the state, The Oxford Casino boasts 30 table games and 1000 slot machines, a 107-room hotel and plenty of restaurants and bars.

Penn National Gaming Inc. owns and operates The Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway in Bangor. They offer a large facility with four Poker tables, 16 table games, and almost 950 slot machines.

Legal Sports Betting States

On the last day of the state's 2019 legislative session -- June 19 -- Maine lawmakers passed "An Act to Ensure Proper Oversight of Sports Betting in the State." Shortly thereafter, the governor vetoed the bill. The legislature could re-introduce the bill later.