The Maine House has passed a bill that would legalize sports betting. It now goes to the Senate, which indicated its support by a vote of 23-12. It still needs a final approval. If it passes there, Governor Janet Mills would decide whether to sign it or veto it.
The governor vetoed the most recent sports betting bill in January 2020, saying it didn’t have a section on responsible gaming. This version has such guidelines.
The bill has changed considerably since Senator Louis Luchini first introduced it in April. Under his first version, racetracks, off-track betting facilities, slots or casino operators or a federally recognized tribe could be licensed. The most recent version limits licenses to casinos.
The latest amendments have raised licensing fees from $20,000 to $100,000.
It also provides for distributing a small percentage of wagering receipts to help support live harness racing, with another portion going to the Agricultural Fire Promotion Fund.
In related news, on June 30, Mills June vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state’s four federally-recognized tribes to operate casinos on the reservation. The next day the legislature failed to override the veto with an 80-53 vote, lacking the required two-thirds vote.
