The governor isn’t ready to sign a bill that would authorize state tribes to launch iGaming
Maine’s governor, Janet Mills, has decided to postpone a crucial decision on the future of online casinos in the state. Mills did not sign or veto LD 1164, a bill that was passed by both houses of the legislature last month. Under Maine law, she had three options: sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without her signature. Mills chose the latter, allowing the bill to be postponed until the legislature returns.
The bill would grant exclusive rights to operate regulated online casinos to Maine’s four Wabanaki Nations. These include the Penobscot Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Aroostook Band of Micmacs, and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. The four tribes would be allowed to operate online casinos, leaving the state’s existing casinos, Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway in Bangor and Oxford Casino Hotel, out of the deal. The tribes could partner with one licensed platform provider, paying a $50,000 annual license fee.
Revenue from the casinos would be taxed at 16%, with funds earmarked for essential state services such as gambling addiction support, emergency housing, and veterans’ programs. The bill also includes robust consumer protections and would allow Maine to collect large iGaming winnings from players with outstanding child support payments, making it the first state to implement such a measure.
Mills’ decision to delay the bill isn’t surprising. Her office had previously testified against the legislation, and she has a history of vetoing gambling-related bills, including a sports betting bill in 2020.
While some supporters of the bill are hopeful, experts, such as Steve Silver from the Maine Gambling Control Board, doubt that Mills will sign it when it returns, citing the slim margin by which it passed in the legislature. If vetoed, the prospects for an override remain uncertain.
