Maine’s online casino market is now more likely to open in the first quarter of 2027 than before the end of 2026, although no launch date has been set. The timetable depends first on finalising the state’s rules and then on a legal review by the Attorney General’s Office.
Milton Champion, executive director of the Maine Gambling Control Unit, called the first quarter of 2027 “more practical,” saying the timing depends on how long the legality review takes. The assessment was reported by Sports Betting Dime and iGaming Times.
The third version of the proposed Internet Gaming rules was published on Sept. 30 and contains 15 chapters. Public comments, limited to text marked in red, are due by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 30; no public hearing is scheduled for this version.
If the agency accepts no substantive changes, the rules package will go to the Attorney General’s Office for a 120-day legality review. Material revisions would require a fourth publication before the process could continue, although the rules are classed as routine technical rules and would not return to the Legislature. The state has told a federal court that the rules cannot take effect before Nov. 25 at the earliest.
The rulemaking follows an earlier draft published May 6 and a second version heard on July 15. Maine’s Internet Gaming law was enacted without Gov. Janet Mills’ signature on Jan. 11, and is codified in Title 8, Chapter 39 of the Maine Revised Statutes. It gives the Gambling Control Unit director responsibility for rules to administer and enforce the law.
The proposed framework requires patrons to be at least 21 and physically located in Maine when placing wagers. It requires licensing for operators, management-services providers, suppliers and key personnel; proposes a $50,000 Internet Gaming licence fee, $10,000 fees for management providers and suppliers, and a $500,000 bond. The law sets an 18% tax on adjusted gross Internet Gaming receipts and the proposed rules would bar credit-card deposits.
The rules allow director-approved live-dealer studios to operate inside or outside Maine. They also include restrictions on marketing aimed at people under 21, including a ban on promotion on Maine college campuses, and an automated self-exclusion system. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention contractor idPair is expected to run that programme.
Before a market can operate, the Gambling Control Unit still needs six staff members, iGaming training, a licensing portal and a database. Licensing forms have been published, but applications are not yet being accepted. The proposed regulations would allow temporary licences lasting up to one year or until a final decision is made.
LD 1164 grants the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation exclusive statewide rights to offer online casino gaming. Caesars has extended its arrangements with the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq and Penobscot nations to online casinos, with plans for Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino and Horseshoe Online Casino. The Passamaquoddy Tribe already partners with DraftKings on online sports betting.
The rollout also faces a federal lawsuit by Oxford Casino Hotel owner Churchill Downs, which argues the tribal-exclusive structure creates a “race-based monopoly.” The four Wabanaki nations intervened in April, and no ruling had been issued on the parties’ motions for judgment after briefing ended June 26. The litigation need not be resolved for the market to open, but a later outcome could pause or end iGaming.
