Lawmakers in Maine Revisit Legislation Proposing Exclusive Online Gambling Privileges for the Wabanaki Nations
Laying Down the Decks: Maine's New Online Gaming Proposal and the Wabanaki Debate
Maine is twenty-fifty in the game of online casino legalization yet again, as state lawmakers give fresh consideration to House Bill 1164. At the heart of this new round is the provision allowing exclusive licensing rights to the Wabanaki Nations.
Giving iGaming Control to Maine's Four Fed Tribes: HB 1164
Originally reintroduced to the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee by Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor), HB 1164 seeks to authorize iGaming and transfer its operational authority entirely to Maine's four federally recognized tribes.
This legislation could help stamp out unregulated gambling via offshore platforms while ushering in economic growth for both tribal and non-tribal communities, all while keeping funds within the state.
Money made through mobile gaming services will be subject to a 16% tax, mirroring the 2022 legalization of online sports betting, enabling the state's four federally recognized tribes to operate online sportsbooks through partnerships with Caesars Entertainment and Draft Kings.
However, the bill's exclusivity clause isn't sitting well with everyone. The text reads, "Only a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in this State is eligible to obtain a license and operate Internet gaming."
Steve Silver, chair of the Maine Gambling Control Board, voiced his opposition, asserting potential job losses at privately operated casinos in Maine, such as Oxford and Hollywood, employing almost a thousand Mainers.
Team Players: Tribal Leaders, Caesars, and DraftKings Speak Up
Supporters of HB 1164, including tribal leaders, Caesars Entertainment, and DraftKings, argue that the bill addresses glaring disparities. Although many tribes across the U.S. lean on gaming for economic development, Maine's tribes have historically been left out of that potential growth.
Adding to the argument, Maine tribes lack the same sovereignty over reservation lands as those in other states due to the Maine Land Claims Settlement Act. Maine tribes also do not operate brick-and-mortar casinos.
"Due to the Wabanaki Nations' lack of economic growth compared to other tribes, they find themselves in a perpetual economic crisis," Rana shared with the committee.
Passamaquoddy Chief William Nicholas also argued against concerns of creating a tribal monopoly over online gaming when asked about the issue.
"For decades, out-of-state corporations have monopolized Maine's gaming industry," Nicholas explained in his testimony. "These casinos funnel millions of dollars out of Maine to places like Vegas and Kentucky, with no benefit for Mainers again.”
Despite FanDuel's support for Maine internet gaming, the company warned that granting exclusive licenses to the tribes might, paradoxically, create a less competitive, regulated market.
"A lack of consumer choice within the regulated landscape could push individuals towards illegal, unregulated gambling methods," shared Michael Ventre, FanDuel's senior manager for state government relations.
- Rep. Ambureen Rana from Bangor reintroduced House Bill 1164 to the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, aiming to legalize iGaming in Maine and transfer its operational authority to the state's four federally recognized tribes.
- If passed, HB 1164 will allow Maine's tribes to operate online casino-games, sports betting, and casino-and-gambling services, creating partnerships with entities like Caesars Entertainment and DraftKings.
- The gaming industry in Maine is facing a potential shake-up, as the bill proposes an exclusivity clause that restricts licensing to only federally recognized Indian nations, tribes, or bands in the state.
- Steve Silver, chair of the Maine Gambling Control Board, expressed opposition to the bill, fearing job losses at privately operated casinos like Oxford and Hollywood, which employ nearly a thousand Mainers.
- Tribal leaders, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, and the Wabanaki Nations argue that HB 1164 addresses disparities faced by Maine's tribes in the gaming industry, as they have historically been left out of potential growth.
- Passamaquoddy Chief William Nicholas voiced concerns about the suggestion of a tribal monopoly over online gaming, asserting that out-of-state corporations have long monopolized the industry in Maine.
- Despite FanDuel's support for Maine internet gaming, they expressed concern that exclusive licenses for the tribes might create a less competitive, regulated market, potentially pushing individuals towards illegal, unregulated gambling methods.
