Maine’s administration is backing a bill that would give the state’s four Wabanaki tribes exclusive rights to mobile sports betting in the Pine Tree State.
According to the Governor’s office, the proposal is a compromise between the state and the Wabanaki who are demanding the same sovereignty rights that other tribes enjoy in states with legal sports betting markets. However, there is stiff opposition from the state’s two casino operators — Churchill Downs (Oxford Casino) and Gaming and Leisure Properties (Hollywood Casino Bangor).
The new bill has been sponsored by assistant Democratic House leader Rachel Talbot Ross and includes several initiatives including sales tax exemptions for transactions on tribal lands. These were all agreed to by the tribes and the state’s administration.
One of the key areas of contention is the provision that gives the tribes exclusive rights to mobile sports betting. This is despite the fact that recent legislative efforts to legalize sports betting have failed while ballot measures have also failed to garner enough support.
A major obstacle is the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 which places strict limitations on tribal gaming in the state. This is the agreement that the tribes have been trying to change for many years with little success. According to the tribes, these limitations put them at a disadvantage and take away some of the economic development tools that other tribes in neighboring states have used successfully.
Opponents of the bill have claimed that this agreement could put an end to the state’s efforts to legalize sports betting through a bill passed over from last year. That bill would also allow the tribe to operate mobile sportsbooks but not exclusively as local racetracks and casinos would be permitted to apply for licenses.
Chris Jackson, a lobbyist speaking on behalf of Hollywood Casino said:
“To be candid, we find this bill to be a little bit of a headscratcher. The previous bill gave retail and tethered mobile sports betting licenses to the tribes, OTBs (off-track betting facilities), commercial tracks and the casinos. “
The Sports Betting Alliance, an industry group representing operators like FanDuel and DraftKings also argued that the new proposal would limit competition and create a monopoly in the market.
The Judiciary Committee is expected to hold a work session to discuss the bill in the coming weeks.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.