Maine Becomes Eighth State to Legalize Online Casino Gaming

Maine will become the eighth state to offer legal online casino gaming. Gov. Janet Mills said she would let LD1164 pass into law without her signature.

"I considered this bill carefully, and while I have concerns about the impacts of gambling on public health, I believe that this new form of gambling should be regulated," Mills wrote in a statement. "I am confident that Maine's Gambling Control Unit will develop responsible rules and standards."

The law gives exclusive iGaming rights to the Wabanaki Nations. Commercial casinos Oxford and Hollywood are shut out, and so are major operators such as FanDuel, Fanatics, and BetMGM, all of which testified against the bill.

"Cutting out Oxford and Hollywood Casinos entirely from offering iGaming is ill-advised and creates a monopoly that is harmful to consumers and the Maine workers employed by Oxford and Hollywood Casinos," the state's Gambling Control Board wrote to Mills last month.

FanDuel's Michael Ventre argued during testimony that the tribal-exclusive structure "would not create the healthy, regulated market that we have seen in many other states."

Under the law, tribal operators will pay 18% of revenue in state taxes. First-year projections estimate $1.8 million in tax revenue, rising to over $3 million annually as the market matures.

Maine joins New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island as states with legal real-money online casinos. Only four of those markets allow competitive licensing: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia. Connecticut operates through tribal exclusivity with DraftKings and FanDuel, while Rhode Island (Bally Bet only) and Delaware (BetRivers only) run single-operator structures.

The regulatory framework still needs development. The Gambling Control Board, which oversees the state's commercial casinos, will not regulate tribal iGaming operations. Rulemaking timelines have not been announced.

Legalization proponents in New York, Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio hope Maine's passage signals momentum heading into 2026 legislative sessions.