Maine Set to Become Eighth State to Legalize Online Casinos Under Tribal Gaming Deal

Gambling Insider · 1d ago

Maine Governor Janet Mills has allowed LD 1164 to become law without her signature, granting four federally recognized tribes, including the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Houlton Band of Maliseet, and Mi'kmaq Nation, the exclusive right to offer online casino games through partnerships with outside operators. The move makes Maine the eighth US state to authorize regulated iGaming, joining Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Delaware, though launches are not expected before late 2026 or early 2027. The decision has drawn a legal challenge from Oxford Casino, which argues the tribal exclusivity arrangement amounts to an unlawful monopoly.