igamingtoday
Maine aims for Q1 2027 online casino launch as rules await legal review and licensing portal
Maine's Gambling Control Unit says a first-quarter 2027 iGaming launch is a target, not a guarantee. Rulemaking, a licensing portal and new staff are still needed, with proposed rules setting an 18% tax rate.
Maine could launch regulated online casino gaming in the first quarter of 2027, according to Milt Champion, Executive Director of the state's Gambling Control Unit. Speaking to SBC Americas, he stressed that the timeline is a target rather than a fixed launch date.
Several steps remain before operators can go live. Regulators must complete rulemaking, build an online licensing portal and hire six additional staff to oversee the market. Public comments on the proposed rules are due by 30 October. If no major changes are needed, the regulations could then go to the Attorney General's Office for legal review, which could take up to 120 days. Champion said the process for iGaming has been as lengthy as it was for sports wagering. If everything goes smoothly, Maine would become the eighth US state with a legal online casino market, joining Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.
The framework stems from LD 1164, which Governor Janet Mills allowed to become law earlier this year. It gives the state's four Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to offer iGaming: the Mi'kmaq Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribes. Each can operate through approved partners.
The proposed rules, published on 30 September, set out how the market would work. Players must be at least 21 and physically in Maine. Operators would need geolocation, multi-factor authentication and identity checks, and credit card deposits would be banned following a March bill. The rules also include responsible gambling requirements, self-exclusion tools and limits on advertising aimed at younger audiences. Online casino revenue would be taxed at 18%, far below Rhode Island's 50% and in line with Connecticut's tribal model.
The rules cover slots, table games and live dealer games. Suppliers, platform providers and content providers would all require licences, and operators would have to segregate player funds from company accounts and meet cybersecurity, auditing and reporting standards.
Commercial operators are already positioning themselves. In June, Caesars Entertainment extended its agreement with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi'kmaq Nation and the Penobscot Nation to include online casino gaming. Rush Street Interactive said in January it could see success partnering with a tribe in the state.
The tribal-only model is contested. Oxford Casino Hotel and its parent company have challenged the law in federal court, arguing it creates a monopoly, and PENN Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden has criticised the structure for shutting out commercial operators.
Based on reporting by igamingtoday.