Maine has become the latest US state to legalize sports betting after Governor Janet Mills signed a bill this week that was previously vetoed.
Gov Mills passed through bill LD 585, which gives tribes the exclusive right to provide online wagering whilst casinos can provide in-person sports betting. Tribes can choose to operate their own sportsbook or sign an agreement with any of the large sportsbook operators.
The bill was designed as part of a plan to give tribes greater sovereignty in the state, and was delayed by ‘many months of negotiations between the Wabanaki Nations and the Mills Administration’.
Under the provision of the bill, sportsbooks will get a favorable deal, with a tax rate of just 10% put in place for operators with a four-year mobile deal constant of just $200,000.
“This law provides meaningful economic opportunities for the Wabanaki Nations. It incentivizes investment in Tribal communities, and it formalizes a collaboration process on policy that sets the foundation for a stronger relationship in the future,” Gov Mills remarked.
“I am proud of the work that the Wabanaki Nations and the State put into drafting this legislation, and I am grateful for the honest effort, the extensive research and the hundreds of hours of negotiations and discussions which bore fruit in this bill. We will continue to work closely with the Tribes to make progress for the Wabanaki people.”
The law is set to come into effect 90 days after the session, making sports betting in Maine potentially ready to launch in time for the NFL season.
