The legal gambling landscape in the United States continues to evolve from state to state. There has been a serious uptick in the number of states in the US that have jumped on the sports betting bandwagon. Maine sports betting is attempting to get off the ground, with a potential start date of 2024.
As soon as states were allowed to set their own sports betting laws and regulations, there was a mad dash. There was a rush by states to provide legal sports betting at their casinos and online. It’s more prudent to count the states that don’t allow legal sports betting than the states that have legal sports betting now. The list is a lot smaller.
What about the smaller states, though? Maine sports betting is looking to take off in the relative future. There is a target date of having sports betting in Maine in 2024. The legislation process is currently in motion, but is 2024 a realistic goal for Maine sports betting?
States Where There Isn’t Legal Sports Betting
Let’s take a brief second to look at the states that still don’t have legal sports betting. This list is accurate for October 2022. Note that it doesn’t include states, like Florida and Maine, where legal sports betting legislation is currently pending.
Legal Sportsbooks Not Permitted
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
Is Maine Eyeing 2024 For Legal Sports Betting?
There has to be a distinction between when the law is enacted and sports betting is available for wagering in Maine. Undoubtedly, there will be confusion regarding when the law is enacted and when sports bettors will be able to place a bet.
In short, yes, Maine is eyeing 2024 for legal sports betting. A best-case scenario will allow sports bettors to place their bets in late 2023. However, the most realistic situation for sports betting in Maine is early to mid-2024.
With this in mind, it appears that Maine has a goal of having its sports betting apps and websites live for Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024. The writing seems to be on the wall that this is their target. If Maine misses out on Super Bowl LVIII, then this would be a failure on their part.
How The Legalization Process Is Unfolding
The biggest question on the minds of sports bettors has to be whether sports betting is legal in Maine or not. It’s complicated.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Maine?
Legally speaking, sports betting is not illegal in Maine now. As of August 8, 2022, sports betting is legal for vendors in Maine. According to the Press Herald, Governor Janet Mills signed the sports betting legalization bill on May 2, which provides exclusive online sports betting rights to four Maine indigenous tribes.
Note that retail sportsbooks are not permitted to operate online sportsbooks. They can, however, operate land-based sports betting facilities at casinos. Only four Native American tribes are permitted to provide online sports betting.
The Legalization Process Is Complete, But…
There are a lot of moving parts for Maine to sort out before sports bettors can make a bet. Maine sports betting won’t have a functional product until at least the end of 2023.
There are currently no rules rectified to govern the sports betting law. Uh oh. That is something that must be cleared up before any bets are placed in Maine.
According to the AP News, the executive director of the Maine Gambling Control Unit, Milt Champion, noted that the rule-making process for sports betting in Maine is going to take longer than many stakeholders anticipated.
It goes without saying that the Native American tribes want this process to be expedited quickly. They have the most to lose and gain in Maine. The AP News adds that 85% of the revenue for Maine sports betting is expected to point online to the indigenous tribes.
The tribes are anxious, but Champion stresses patience while the rules for governing sports betting in the state are ironed out and put into place. The good news for sports bettors in Maine is that the law has already been signed and is in effect in the state.
Maine is well behind New Hampshire in legalizing sports betting. New Hampshire offers legal sports betting, and for citizens in Maine, they can travel to their neighbors to make sports bets in-person at a sportsbook.
Conclusion
Sports betting in Maine is so close, yet so far away. There is nothing illegal about sports betting in Maine since the law went into effect on August 8.
TheSportsGeek is projecting a start date for legal sports betting in time for the Super Bowl in 2024. The state will likely run a trial period to work out the bugs for a month and then want to go full bore for Super Bowl LVIII.
If you are a sports bettor in Maine and want to get a piece of legal online sports betting, you will just have to be patient alongside the Native American tribes that have been approved for offering online betting. In the meantime, you can travel to New Hampshire for legal sports betting.
For more information regarding gambling in Maine, visit our Maine online gambling page.
