Maine iGaming Bill Faces Veto Risk as Governor Weighs Tribal Monopoly

Maine could be the 8th state to legalize online casinos in the US, but under controversial circumstances. Governor Janet Mills must decide whether to pass or veto LD 1164, which includes a draft of Maine’s proposed iGaming bill. The Maine Control Board has not just expressed concern, but has unanimously come out against the bill, urging the Governor to veto it.

For the bill would not just legalize online casino gaming in Maine, but it would give the exclusive iGaming rights to tribal casinos, without even involving Maine’s commercial casinos. Effectively, this would create a tribal monopoly on iGaming in Maine. Which would not be so out of place, as online sports betting is also tethered to the tribes. The decision will rest in the Governor’s hands, and in case of a veto, there is a possibility for the Legislature to attempt an override. The question now is, will Maine create an iGaming monopoly or not, or if this bill will face such opposition that it will rule out the possibility of legal online casinos in the Pine Tree State for the foreseeable future.

Maine’s Proposed iGaming Bill

LD 1164, the Maine online casino bill, was introduced in April 2025, and passed both chambers by mid June. The Governor had the chance then to review and potentially approve the bill, but instead, Governor Mills chose not to act before the Legislature adjourned. This means, the bill was effectively frozen until January 2026, when the lawmakers reconvened to assess any leftover bills.

The Maine online casino bill would legalize games like slots, blackjack, roulette, and other table games for online casinos in Maine. It stated that Maine’s four federally recognized Wabanaki Nations would be given the exclusive rights to operate online casinos. Meaning, they can run online casinos themselves or partner with third-party operators to launch online casinos.

The framework also included an 18% tax on online casino revenue. The state would benefit from the taxation of these new online casinos, putting the proceeds to state programs and facilities, while the native tribes would get a new revenue stream and build on Maine’s existing gaming structure.

However, this framework completely bypasses Maine’s existing commercial casinos, Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino. The Maine Gaming Control Board voted unanimously against this bill and conveyed its concerns to the Governor.

Exclusive Rights for the Wabanaki Nations

Because these two landbased US casinos are commercial and not related to the tribes. They wouldn’t be able to launch their own online casinos, not unless they partnered with one of the four tribes that would have the exclusive rights to iGaming licensure and the Maine market. The Maine Gambling Control Board argued that this would create a monopoly, which in turn would:

• Limit competition
• Reduce the options for players
• Potentially lose players to the black market

Heavily restricted markets run many risks and these can be felt all the way from the player right up to the state authorities. Players don’t have the same abundance of choice as they would with a more competitive market, which can lead to fewer bonuses and limited game libraries. Should gamers in Maine turn to the black market for more games and better bonuses, the state will lose a massive stream of revenue.

Online Sports Betting Situation in Maine

Though that is the very situation right now with online sports betting in Maine. The state legalized online sports betting back in 2022 under a structure where sportsbook operators have to partner with local tribes to gain access to the market. Maine’s law allows for up to 4 online sportsbooks to operate in the state. However, Caesars Sportsbook partnered with the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq and the Penobscot Nations (three of the four) and DraftKings partnered with the fourth, the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

• Caesars Sportsbook – 3 Nations Partnerships
• DraftKings Sportsbook – 1 Nation Partnership

So Maine only has 2 state regulated online sportsbooks. This is similar to New Hampshire (1 legal sportsbook) and Vermont (3 legal sportsbooks). But you just have to look a bit further South to Massachusetts, where there are 7 legal online sportsbooks, or the state of New York, which has 9.

Other States with Gambling Monopolies

Of the 7 states that currently have legal online casinos, 1 has a monopoly, 2 have very limited markets and the remaining 4 have competitive markets. It is a very different scene from that of the growing US sports betting industry, where there are now 39 states, including Missouri that have legal sports betting, and the majority have a good offering for bettors.

For casino gamers in the US, the options are the following:

• New Jersey – 28 regulated online casinos (legalized 2013)
• Pennsylvania – 21 (2019)
• Michigan – 15 (2021)
• West Virginia: 9 (2020)
• Delaware: 3 (2013)
• Connecticut: 2 casinos (2021)
• Rhode Island: 1 (legalized 2023, launched in 2024)

The iGaming monopoly in Rhode Island is held by Bally Casino, and is also has just 1 sportsbook, Rhode Island Sportsbook (powered by Caesars). The authorities in Rhode Island have battled international gambling brand operators because of the high volume of players turning to those platforms instead of the official channels.

However, it is a persistent problem, and one that points to a system that is too heavily restricted and monopolized. While Maine probably won’t just have 1 online casino to offer, it has a maximum offering of 4, which could put it alongside the likes of Delaware and Connecticut, which haven’t fared much better than Rhode Island.

The Governor’s Decision Window

The fate of this online bill now rests on Governor Janet Mills, who can either sign the bill into law, veto it, or choose to allow it to pass but without her signature. She has been cautious with gambling-related proceedings before, having vetoed a Maine sports betting bill back in 2020, before passing it later in 2022. Legal online casinos are also an area that Mills has skirted, most recently allowing this bill, LD 1164, to sit on the table for a good half a year.

It was the tribe-centric approach with the online sports betting that got Governor Mills to finally sign the bill, which could give tribes hope that she will consider this new online casino bill. The Governor has until January 10 to decide.

Public Response to Legal Online Casinos

Funnily enough, the public sentiment in Maine seems to mirror that of the Control Board. A poll back in December suggested that the majority of Mainers oppose legalizing online casinos, though for very different reasons. They are concerned that this can induce problem gambling and could have damaging social impacts on gamers in Maine. The lack of public backing could make it more difficult for lawmakers to justify the online casino bill in its current form.

This poll was made on behalf of the National Association Against iGaming, and found that 64% of the respondents were against legalizing online casinos. 51% of the voters stated that they are less likely to vote for a lawmaker who supports legalized online casinos in Maine’s upcoming 2026 election. But this poll was only conducted with 500 residents, which, as far as public US gambling surveys go, is quite small.

Potential Future Scenarios in Maine

Governor Mills has to make her decision by January 10, 2025, by which time Mainers will know whether or not online casinos will be legalized in the state. There are a few possible scenarios that could occur here, and it is not as simple as just legalizing online casinos or killing the bill entirely.

Bill Is Signed

If the bill is signed into law, Maine will become the 8th state with legal online casinos, and the online casino bill will be implemented in its entirety. Governor Mills has the option to veto this law, which can lead to two possible scenarios.

Governor Vetoes Bill

After a veto, the lawmakers could decide to override the Governor’s decision, though it won’t mean the bill will get back onto the table in the near future. It will have to gain a majority vote among the lawmakers, and if the bill doesn’t, it can stall any iGaming proposals for potentially a few years.

Another option is for the Governor to reject LD 1164 and for lawmakers to open discussions to revise the legislature. This could open a window for the Control Board to lobby for the inclusion of the commercial casinos, and perhaps extend the iGaming license opportunities to create a more competitive iGaming market. It would delay the process by a good few months at the very least.

Bill Killed Off

The last option is that the Governor rejects the bill and it fails entirely. Maine doesn’t legalize online casinos at all, which could delay the process for a good few years. And in the meantime, internationally based online casinos fill the gap for players.

In the broader scheme of things, other states and parties that are interested in legalizing online casinos will be following the proceedings carefully. While legalized online casinos are not spreading anywhere near the speed at which legalized online sports betting is – should Maine legalize online casinos, it may spark new interest in other states in 2026.