Bill on Sports Betting Introduced in Maine’s State Senate

Senator Louis Luchini has introduced Senate Bill 1352 and has called for authorization of a sports wagering license for the state of Maine. The license would fall under the Department of Public Safety Gambling Control Unit.

The bill states that each operator may receive a license, with a fee set at $20,000. The operators can apply for sports betting licenses for commercial racetrack, an off-track betting facility, a slot machine, casino operation, or a federally recognized tribe. Also, there will be licenses available for suppliers of management services, also with a fee set at $20,000.

The bill also states that land-based licenses will be taxed 10% of revenue. For mobile betting operators, the tax is 16% of revenue. Also, all players must be 21 or over to be able to place bets.

Next Steps

Senate Bill 1352 was received on April 5 and has been referred to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs. Senator Luchini attempted to a similar bill, sustained.

“I believe this bill is a good effort by those who wish to bring out into the open a black market activity that is practiced by many now and who want to regulate that activity without over-regulating or overtaxing it so as to drive it back underground. The bill is a step forward towards achieving that delicate balance.”

“But, respectfully, I remain unconvinced at this time that the majority of Maine people are ready to legalize, , endorse and promote betting on competitive athletic events,” said Mills in 2019.

Source:

“Maine sports betting bill introduced in state Senate”, Marese-Ohagan, igbnorthamerica.com, April 6, 2021.