Maine Releases First Figures For Mobile Sports Betting
Lou Monaco - Nov 16, 2023
Sports betting in Maine went live on Nov. 3, 2023. BetMaine.com has you covered with the latest news, updates, & exclusive promotions.
The road to the launch of legal Maine sports betting apps and sites is proving to be long and winding. But the team at BetMaine.com is here to provide some quick-hitting information about the current status of sports betting in Maine:
✅ Is Sports Betting Legal in Maine? | Yes, Sports Betting is Legal in Maine |
⚖️ Maine Sports Betting Bill | LD 585 |
🚨 Latest News | DraftKings Makes Deal with Tribe |
⏱️ When Will Online KY Sports Betting Launch? | Nov. 3, 2023 |
🔥 Expected Maine Sportsbooks | Caesars, DraftKings |
📝 Last Verified: | October 9, 2024 |
Yes, sports betting in Maine is legal. LD 585, which legalized online sportsbooks in Maine, was passed in 2022, but it's taken nearly 18 months for rules and regulations to be finalized.
Under Maine law, sports betting is operated and overseen exclusively by the state's four federally recognized tribes—Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, and Penobscot—which can each partner with one sportsbook to provide online services. The terms of the legislation allow for four online licenses in total and 10 retail sports betting licenses.
Sports betting launched in Maine online on Nov. 3, 2023, according to the Maine Gambling Control Unit. The only sportsbooks are Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings.
Maine's state legislature passed LD 585 on April 19, 2022, and it was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills on May 2. The process of drawing up the regulations that will administer ME sports betting sites and retail sportsbook has been slow.
The legal sports betting age in Maine is 21. Under the terms of LD 585, the sports betting bill passed in 2022, you will need to be at least 21 years old to be able to take part in ME sports betting.
That’s also the minimum age for the state’s casinos, although you can wager on the state lottery and bingo from the age of 18. You can expect to have to provide ID that shows your date of birth when you sign up to wager at Maine sports betting sites and retail locations.
Let’s look at some of latest news on Maine sports betting as we inch closer to sportsbooks going live:
Our experienced reporters keep you up-to-date on sports betting in Maine. Our experts bring the latest news and developments on mobile sports betting, Maine sports betting promos, retail sportsbooks and tribal casinos, betting odds and more.
Yes, you can bet on sports in Maine. Although the law was passed to allow companies to offer sports betting, Maine took a while to finalize rules and regulations for sporst betting in the state. Online sportsbooks went live on Nov 3, 2023.
There are two methods for sports betting in Maine: retail betting at casinos or other licensed locations and mobile betting. There are two casino locations in Maine, Hollywood Casino in Bangor and the Oxford Casino in Oxford, both of which offer in-person sports betting.
Betting on mobile devices is also available. Caesars Sportsbook will be the primary provider of online sports betting, as it has already agreed to partnerships with three of the state's four tribes. You can also bet at DraftKings.
Online sports betting is legal in Maine, but not yet live. Maine online sports betting was legalized in the summer of 2022. However, the process to approve the rules under which sports betting will be governed has proved to be long.
Sports betting online in Maine is now expected to go live on Nov. 3.
You will not need to be a Maine resident to sports bet online. However, you will need to be located within state lines while you are using Maine betting sites. Maine online sports betting operators will use geolocation technology to confirm you're located within the state, and you will have to prove you are over 21 when opening an account.
Caesars partnered with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, and the Penobscot Nation in May of 2023 to provide online sports betting services. DraftKings also applied for a license and was approved.
Maine state law allows for each of the four recognized tribes to have one online platform, meaning the final one is still up for grabs. Members of the Sports Betting Alliance, including BetMGM, FanDuel and Fanatics, have stated they will not pursue licenses in Maine. We believe DraftKings Sportsbook will be the fourth operator in Maine. Other potential online operators could include Barstool Sportsbook or bet365 Sportsbook, as they ahve have relationships with the owners of the state's two existing retail casinos.
Maine sportsbooks launched on Nov. 3, 2023.
No sportsbooks have partnered with Maine sports teams yet. When Maine sports betting goes live, it is possible that there will be partnerships between sports betting sites in Maine and some local teams. This is an extremely common type of relationship in states where sports betting is legal.
Maine has no Big 4 pro sports teams, but there could be opportunities for neighboring states' teams—Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins or Boston Red Sox— or even Canadian teams, including the Montreal Canadiens or Ottawa Senators.
Maine sportsbooks will be in a unique situation with three of the four available online licensed already claimed by one operator: Caesars Sportsbook Maine. This will no doubt be the top sportsbook available in the state.
This is an experienced brand that delivers an excellent all-around offering, with a broad choice of sports to wager on and a high frequency of tempting and creative bonuses. The sportsbook and mobile sports betting app also deliver a first-class user experience for those who want to enjoy betting in Maine.
Data-driven NFL bettors will love the DraftKings Maine Sportsbook . This operator offers live betting and a wide range of NFL futures markets, complete with strong data & stats that set it apart.
For example, users can see exactly how many times each competitor has covered the '"Both Teams to Score" wager before actually placing a bet.
Several sportsbooks have said they are not planning to come to Maine anytime soon. One of those operators is BetMGM. There is, however, a promo code available for you to use today if you find yourself in a nearby state with legal sports betting, such as New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, or New York. You can learn more at this BetMGM Maine review.
Though it's one of the nation's most downloaded online sportsbook apps, FanDuel Maine is not expected to become a reality in the near future. FanDuel is a member of the Sports Betting Alliance, which has said it does not plan to launch in Maine due to its revenue guidelines.
However, news in the sports betting world changes quickly and often. So make sure you bookmark and come back to BetMaine to get the latest updates.
Maine sports betting is unique among states in the Northeast. It only allows for four online licenses, each tied to one of the federally recognized tribes in the state. Caesars Sportsbook in Maine will have a virtual monopoly on online sports betting, given its deals with three of those four tribes.
Several major sportsbook operators have said they will not pursue licenses in Maine due to the state's revenue-sharing model, which stipulates that the tribes will retain at least 50% of online revenue. Operators can get between 30-40% of the revenue generated.
It's taken Maine about a year and half from legalizing sports betting to actually launching it in the state, as the process of approving sports betting regulations has taken a long time.
Fewer than 1.5 million people live in Maine, and no Big 4 teams are located there. As a result, the legal ME sports betting market will inevitably be smaller than in other states. Nevertheless, there are places nearby, such as New Hampshire and Connecticut, that do not feature any top-level pro sports teams yet still deliver a healthy level of tax revenue to the state government in question.
The Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU) regulates Maine sports gambling. The MGCU has been charged with the task of overseeing the Maine sports betting market once it launches.
The Maine Gambling Control Unit is currently in the process of finalizing regulations under which the sports betting market will operate. It will also regulate retail and online licenses, as well as oversee the ongoing conduct of retail and online sports betting ME.
Under the terms of the sports betting bill passed by the state legislature and the Maine Gambling Control Unit, there are 4 ME online sports betting licenses and up to 10 retail betting licenses. Each of the state’s 4 federally recognized tribes will be offered an online license, which it can use in conjunction with a commercial sportsbook provider.
Each license will cost $200,000 every 4 years, and the commercial partner will have to pay $40,000 on top of that. The tribes will have to hand over a 10% tax on their revenue.
Both of the state’s retail casinos will be allowed to apply for a license to operate in-person betting on their premises. Up to 4 further licenses per casino could be issued to racetracks and off-track betting facilities.
Maine's Gambling Control Unit has estimated that Maine sports betting may generate up to $6.9M in tax revenue. That suggests that retail and online betting ME operations could generate a total annual gaming revenue of nearly $70 million.
However, until state officials finalize the sports betting market, Maine revenue predictions are inevitably unclear.
To find out how much you might owe on a winning Maine sports bet, use our Maine tax calculator.
To maximize your potential for profit with Maine's online sportsbooks and to ensure that you get the best experience possible, pay close attention to the following tips for choosing the best Maine online sportsbook:
It is a virtual certainty that all the operators that obtain licenses to offer sports betting in ME will already be live in several other states. That means you can do some online research and find out what customers in other states think of those brands. Check their ratings at the app stores too, and look for things that many people say each operator does well – and where it might be lacking.
At first glance, all Maine sports betting sites and apps might look the same; look closer, though, and you’ll find variations between sportsbooks. Some brands focus strongly on prop bets, others might have a more generous selection of futures. You might also find certain sports are covered in less depth, or not at all, at particular Maine sports betting sites.
Experienced bettors understand that there are subtle variations in the odds and lines different operators offer on the same market. You can become adept at working out which Maine online sports betting operators offer the most competitive odds and other odds boosts. This can vary between sports, and even at different times of day in the countdown to kick-off.
Bonuses will be a key part of all Maine sportsbooks’ armory in the battle for customers’ loyalty. This is particularly apparent when it comes to the welcome bonus that should grab your attention and tempt you to sign up. Your offer might be in the form of a deposit match, or the chance to play your first stake again if your bet loses, or the opportunity to get a stack of bonus bets in return for a single small stake.
This is one of the most important considerations in online betting. Maine residents will value a superlative user interface that makes it easy to find the markets you want, and to place your bets quickly and simply. Similarly, a glitchy and slow-moving user experience will have bettors looking to take their custom elsewhere.
The quality of service you receive from a customer support team can make a big difference to the way you perceive a Maine sports betting app or site. There should be plenty of ways of getting in touch, including a 24/7 live chat function, email and, ideally, a toll-free phone number. It’s also important that the service you receive when you make contact is quick, professional, and efficient.
There are several good reasons why you should sign up with multiple sportsbooks in Maine once they launch. By being able to access more than one sportsbook, you can compare odds to be sure you are getting the best value for a particular wager. You can also take advantage of several welcome bonuses and, over time, work out which of the Maine sports betting sites suit you the best.
You should expect to see plenty of Maine sportsbook promos when you're ready to start wagering. This should begin with an entertaining welcome offer, such as a deposit match, a bet-and-get promo that earns you several bonus bets, or the chance to play your stake from a losing first wager for a second time.
Regular bettors at sportsbooks in other states can also take advantage of odds boosts, enhancements on same-game parlay payouts, and the chance to enter exclusive competitions with cash prizes at stake.
Sports betting in Maine can involve playing at a retail sportsbook or wagering online through your desktop or mobile device. There are advantages to both ways of placing bets on sports.
Many bettors will enjoy in-person Maine sportsbooks at a location licensed to offer retail sports betting. You are surrounded by like-minded folks who are there to enjoy gambling on top sporting events, and there are staff on hand to help you with any queries. Additionally, if you wager in cash you should get any payout straight away rather than wait several days for the sportsbook to clear the withdrawal.
However, huge numbers of sports bettors will enjoy ME online sports betting. The main reason is the convenience of being able to place a bet wherever you are; at home, at work, traveling, out with friends, or even at the sporting event you want to bet on. The operators likely to run Maine sportsbooks will offer the chance to offer a choice of great Maine sports betting apps that make it easy to wager on the go.
If you decide you prefer online betting, ME sites and apps should make it possible to place your wagers in a variety of ways. The most common types of bets available at legal Maine sports betting sites will include:
The most popular sports you will be able to wager on at ME sports betting sites and retail sportsbooks will be:
Maine is one of several states with no representative in any of the big 4 pro sports leagues. However, there are several minor league teams in the Pine Tree State that draw strong local support. As a result, you are likely to get the chance to wager on their fortunes at Maine sports betting sites.
⚾️ Portland Sea Dogs
Baseball fans in Portland have plenty to cheer with the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, and the team attracts good local support. The Sea Dogs won the Eastern League championship title in 2006, and you can occasionally spot vacationing celebrities in the stands at their Hadlock Field home.
🏀 Maine Celtics
The Celtics play in the NBA G League and are, not surprisingly, affiliated to the Boston team of the same name. Previously known as the Maine Red Claws, the team won its divisional title three years in a row in 2015-17. The team has always enjoyed terrific support at its Portland Exposition Building arena, and attract plenty of hoops fans from the local area.
🏒 Maine Mariners
Hockey fans have had the chance to cheer on the Mariners since the 2018-19 season, when they replaced the Portland Pirates. The Mariners play in the ECHL, and reached the play-offs for the first time in the 2021-22 season. They repeated that feat 12 months later, but on both occasions were knocked out in the first play-off round by the Reading Royals.
🏒 Maine Nordiques
Away from Portland, hockey fans in Lewiston can get behind the Nordiques, a junior team in the East Division of the NAHL. The team was founded as recently as 2019, and the Nordiques reached the divisional semi-finals in the 2023-23 play-offs.
Historically, Maine has been slow to embrace any and all forms of gambling, which may be one reason why it is taking so long to launch the legal Maine sports betting industry.
When it comes to betting, ME residents have very few options available to them. The only options currently available are to visit one of the two retail casinos based in the state, to wager on horse racing, or to play the state lottery.
There are only two physical casinos in Maine. They are the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway Bangor and the Oxford Casino Hotel. Each offers several hundred slot machines and a solid selection of table games. Under the new sports betting law passed in 2022, both casinos will be permitted to apply for an ME sports betting license but for in-person wagering only.
It's worth noting that Maine online casinos are not legal yet, so gamers in the state will have to wait a bit longer. While you wait, however, you can read up on the latest promos and reviews for brands like DraftKings Casino Maine.
Most horse racing in Maine takes place at First Tracks Cumberland and the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway Bangor. You can place pari-mutuel bets on the races, but through only one site, Hollywood Races. That is slated to change in 2024, however, with a new measure allowing for more horse racing operators to apply for licenses in Maine.
It will be interesting to see which tracks apply for a license to offer sports betting in ME to visitors when they get the opportunity.
The Maine Lottery has been in operation since 1974, after it was launched following a public vote. It offers a lively selection of games, with the usual mixture of state-only contests and access to multi-state events with big prizes, such as Powerball. State lotteries elsewhere have played a role in administering sports betting, but it looks unlikely that the state will offer the Maine Lottery a similar role in this instance.
The experienced operators likely to be licensed to create KY sports betting sites will offer a host of ways in which you can deposit money into your account. The process should be as swift and painless as possible. Among the methods available should be:
Type | Deposit | Withdrawal |
---|---|---|
VISA | Instant | 1-5 days |
MasterCard | Instant | N/A |
AmEx | Instant | N/A |
Venmo | Instant | 1-5 days |
PayPal | Instant | 2-7 days |
Bank Transfer | 1-3 days | 3-7 days |
It is important that anybody taking part in Maine online sports betting, or visiting a retail sportsbook, should be encouraged at all times to bet responsibly. As a result, it will be surprising if and when it launches legal sports betting, ME does not insist that all licensed operators carry a prominent link to their responsible gambling resources.
This usually takes the form of a deep well of advice about setting limits and excluding yourself from wagering if you feel you are losing control. There should also be links to expert agencies that can offer practical assistance to people who are really struggling.
These should include a state-backed program called SafeBet, supported by the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, as well as the local branch of the Council on Problem Gambling, a respected national body.
Encouraging responsible gambling is an admirable and important step for Maine sportsbooks to take. Because, while for the overwhelming majority of people online gambling is a relaxing leisure activity, for a small number it can lead to addiction, and serious personal, emotional and financial issues.
Author
Martin has reviewed sports betting sites and online casinos from all around the world including all the top brands in Canada. An expert at picking out exactly what sets each app apart, Martin is our go-to source when it comes to informing our readers on what the top betting apps and casino sites have to offer in Maine.