The Maine Legislature ended this year’s legislative session without a sports betting bill. That despite many hearings on LB 1352, but no amendments. Three other bills were considered but folded into one bill. It remained with the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, which took no action.
There’s a chance the item could be taken up again if the legislature is brought back for a special budget session. That happened in 2019 when both chambers approved a sports wagering bill, which Governor Janet Mills then vetoed. In her veto, Mills wrote: “I remain unconvinced at this time that the majority of Maine people are ready to legalize, support, endorse and promote betting on competitive athletic event.”
Whether she’s altered her stance in the intervening two years remains to be seen. An important debating point among lawmakers was whether to require that sports betting providers be “tethered” to an existing casino or racetrack. Casino lobbyists are pushing hard for such a requirement.
Other states in New England have slowly been legalizing sports betting, including Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
