The Maine legislature’s Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs has whittled seven sports betting bills down to one, a shell bill that will include parts from all the other bills, include mobile sports book. The committee will now refine these elements over the next few weeks and submit a comprehensive bill to the legislature by the end of May, the Portland Press Herald reports.
Committee Chairman Senator Louis Lichini, who also sponsored the bill, declared, “I’ve talked to a lot of people, who, because Maine has casinos and they allow gambling, they want to be able to go place a bet on the Patriots or the Red Sox. And so I’ve heard a lot of people who are interested in expanding like many other states are looking at.”
One important element that must be agreed upon is a tax rate. Lawmakers are also considering banning betting on youth and e-sports but allowing wagers at OTBs and tribal bingo halls.
Rep. Jesanne Dolloff told the Press Herald, “I sure as heck don’t want somebody’s grocery money going towards this.”
No one expects sports betting to be a big cash cow for the state, especially since Maine has a population of 1.3 million.
