Maine Lawmakers Vote Against Online Casino Gambling Bill

Maine’s House of Representatives has voted against a proposal that would have given Wabanaki tribes in Maine exclusive rights to online casino gambling.

LD 1777 would have allowed the tribes to build on their exclusive rights to sports betting in Maine. As it currently stands, tribal groups have complete control over the online sports betting industry. This bill would have seen this expanded to include online casino gaming.

However, the bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Laura Supica, failed to progress after the House voted 74-71 against its passage.

The newly expanded gaming rights would have seen the tribes generate and estimated $100 million in revenue. But opponents were critical of the bill as it excluded current land-based commercial casino operators. They also suggested that an online industry would lead to job losses at commercial casinos.

Several representatives stated that they would have been open to the expansion if it had included commercial casinos.

Rep. David Boyer said ahead of the vote:

“As much as I want to play online poker, this isn’t the way to do it. I’m concerned with the jobs that are at stake in Oxford and Bangor. The tax rates are not comparable. The brick-and-mortar casinos have a very high tax rate.”

The bill’s proponents argued that allowing a further expansion of gaming rights would help to address the inequalities against the tribes.

Rep. Aaron Dana, who represents the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, said that if approved, the new rights would see the tribes invest even more heavily in the local community as opposed to private operators taking profits out of state.

He said:

“We would be spending all of that money here in the state of Maine, because we are also state of Maine citizens. This economic empowerment will not only strengthen tribal sovereignty, but also enhance the overall (well) being of tribal members.”

Supica, the bill’s sponsor added:

“Much of the concern comes from the fact that it is exclusively for the tribes. But for me that is why I wholeheartedly support it, because this is a wonderful opportunity for the state of Maine to begin to make some corrections to how they have enacted past gaming laws.”

The vote means that online casino gambling is now off the agenda for the current legislative session.