LD1164 Returns as Maine Considers Tribal iGaming Expansion

Lawmakers in Maine are revisiting the idea of legal online casino gambling as they reconsider Legislative Document 1164 during the state’s first special session of 2025. The bill, though still marked as unfinished, could establish a new path for internet gaming in Maine, with a structure that centers on the state’s tribal communities.

Good to know

• LD1164 would allow each Wabanaki Nation tribe to partner with one online casino operator.
• The bill proposes a 16% tax on internet casino revenue.
• Maine’s Gambling Control Unit would oversee the new market under current frameworks.

LD1164 passed the Joint Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee without opposition earlier this year but was placed on hold in April. Now, lawmakers are discussing it again, with adjournment for the special session scheduled for June 18.

The bill proposes a system modeled on how online sports betting already functions in the state. Each of Maine’s four federally recognized tribes would be allowed to partner with one iGaming operator. The goal is to generate economic opportunities for tribal governments while placing regulation under the state’s Gambling Control Unit.

A 16% tax would apply to all revenue from online casino games, and the Gambling Control Unit would manage licensing and compliance. Traditional land-based casino oversight would remain with the Gaming Control Board.

Not everyone supports the proposal. Churchill Downs, which runs Oxford Casino, and PENN Entertainment, the operator of Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway Bangor, are both opposing the bill. They argue the bill could effectively grant the tribes exclusive access to the online casino market, creating what they describe as a monopoly.

In addition to resistance from current casino operators, larger online gambling brands have also weighed in. Companies like BetMGM, FanDuel, and Fanatics have pushed for changes to the bill that would allow tribes to work with more than one operator instead of being limited to a single partnership.

As the bill moves through discussion, Maine’s Gambling Control Unit issued a warning to residents. Director Milton Champion reminded the public that no iGaming or sweepstakes platform currently holds a license to operate in Maine. The statement was part of an ongoing effort to discourage use of unregulated websites.

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