Maine is preparing for the online sports betting launch. According to the latest gambling and sports news reports, the Maine Gambling Control Unit will issue temporary licenses by November.
The state regulator submitted its proposed regulations to the Office of the Attorney General. The latter will review the proposed rules as Maine prepares for implementation later this year.
Governor Janet Mills signed the sports betting legislation in May 2022. Also, it took effect on August 2, 2022. However, people cannot still bet on sports in Maine. The long wait is over for sports bettors as the state prepares for the November launch.
Online Sports Betting Launch in Maine
Director of Maine’s Gambling Control Unit, Milt Champion, stressed caution when introducing online sportsbook platforms.
It is estimated that 85 percent of the state’s sports betting industry will come through mobile and internet wagering.
Since Native American tribes in the state will now run the internet sports betting industry, this may be a huge boon to their economies.
The legislation allows for the Penobscot Nation, the Passamaquoddy tribes in Indian Township and Pleasant Point, the Houlton Band of Maliseets, and the Mi’kmaq to each choose their vendor, leading to a total of four possible licenses.
In the act of reconciliation, after she threatened to veto their prior petition for increased sovereignty, Governor Janet Mills gave Native American tribes control of the mobile and internet sports betting sector.
In addition to tribal casinos, Bangor and Oxford casinos and off-track betting parlors in Maine will be eligible to apply for sports betting licenses.
Sports Betting in Maine
Milt Champion estimates that in 2022, sports betting will bring in between $3.8 and $6.9 million for Maine, adding to the $64 million the state would get from casinos and other legal forms of gambling.
As of this writing, Maine has joined its fellow New England states, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, in legalizing sports betting, bringing the total number of states that permit such wagering to 38.
After legalizing sports betting earlier this year, Vermont is scheduled to begin its market in January 2024.
