Regulated Sports Betting In Maine May Not Launch Until 2024

• The legal sports betting market in Maine may not be available until 2024.
• If it takes until 2024 for sports betting to begin then operators will lose a lot of money.

AUGUSTA, Maine – Despite Main Governor Janet Mills signing legislation on May 2nd, 2022, regulated sports betting may not launch in Maine until 2024.

According to the executive director of their gambling control unit, Milton Champion, no shortcuts will be made as they establish regulations for sports betting in Maine.

Why It May Take So Long To Establish Sports Betting In Maine

The recently passed law that legalized sports gambling in Maine LD 585 will take effect on July 31st. The legislative session ends in April and lawmakers do not reconvene until late July, meaning that no progress will be made over the coming months.

When Janet Mills signed the sports betting bill, it was also understood that multiple hiring processes would take place for positions that would oversee the sports betting landscape in Maine.

Given the importance of those positions, legal sports betting in Maine may not see any progress made for months after the legislative session regroups in Maine.

What Will The Native American Tribes Miss Out On

According to Champion, the casinos of Maine generated nearly $60 million in taxes for the state.

Legal sports betting would not generate nearly that much money for Maine, but there is a real chance that the sportsbooks could see a number close to that.

Long story short, if Maine’s Gaming Control board really takes until 2024 to legalize sports betting, then the tribes that they gave exclusive access to will be losing out on a lot of revenue.

News tags: Janet Mills | Maine | Milton Champion