Enjoy summer while it’s here, but come this fall online sports betting in Maine will officially be up and running. It won’t come in time for the start of the NFL season, but by Thanksgiving you’ll be able to bet your Uncle Ed on all the Thursday games! Shannon Moss of the Maine Department of Public Safety stated that “Temporary or initial licenses will be issued on the day of adoption to allow licensees to go live and offer wagers on sports according to law and rule.”
The State Gambling Control Unit has already presented their set of proposed rules to govern the gambling activities in the state, and those rules are currently under review by the Attorney General’s Office. Meanwhile, the necessary preparations for online sports betting in Maine are being made, and they are expected to be implementation later this year.
In May 2022, Governor Janet Mills signed legislation that paved the way for betting on sports in Maine. It has been in effect since August 2, 2022, but to progress towards a launch there was a public hearing in January. That was followed by a public comment period, and now the Gambling Control Unit has submitted the final rules to the Attorney General’s Office for examination, and hopefully setting the stage for a planned launch by November.
It is anticipated that online sports betting in Maine will dominate the market, likely making up around 85% of the total volume. This virtual aspect presents a substantial revenue opportunity for Native American tribes in Maine, as they have been granted control over the online sports betting sector.