Maine Online Sports Betting

Maine gambling industry is a young and relatively recently instigated one, and it’s still growing. Slot machines were added to the scene in Maine in 2004, and that venue evolved into the state’s first commercial casino in 2008. Table casino games were added to Maine gambling scene in 2012, and a second casino opened later that year.

In that atmosphere for change and gambling expansion, harness racing is a big drawcard in Maine, as are Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and online horse racing betting sites.

Sports Betting is yet to become a reality in Maine, however with Rhode Island becoming the 8th U.S. to introduce legal sports betting, the race is on for other states in New England to join the sports betting club and Maine is no different as legislators in the state continue to put forward various proposals for sports legalization and the potential introduction of something along the lines of a NJ online sportsbook or two.

Betting on sports in Maine looks set to become under further debate over the coming few months.

While there’s hope for legalized sports betting in Maine, don’t expect it until at least 2021. The great news is that Pine Tree State has two excellent land-based casinos ready to adopt sports betting.

Maine’s State Legislators will first need to craft and pass a new law in order to enter the sports betting fray. Multiple sports betting bills have been introduced in Maine (LD1642, LD1656, and LD1657) in to cover off on administrative factors like sports betting taxes, and online sports betting. However, the question really seems to be in Maine what form sports wagering will take, rather than when it will be introduced.

Until then, the answers to the dual questions; ‘is sports betting legal in Maine?’ and ‘is online sports betting legal in Maine?’ are both a regrettable and unfortunate ’No’.

Online Sports Betting is currently illegal in the state of Maine until the state’s lawmakers can decide on exactly which model of sports wagering will best suit residents of and visitors to Maine.

We anticipate the question of legal sports betting online will be back before the Maine State Legislature for debate and drafting the state’s sports betting legislation in the 2021 legislative season.

Until that time, the state of Maine accepts some forms of online gambling as legal. Online DFS and horse and greyhound racing online betting options are all completely 100% legal for Maine’s residents and visitors as an outlet for their online betting requirements.

Federal lawmakers in the United States have ruled that Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) competitions are not gambling at all, however, they are skills-based games, not games of chance. Under U.S. Federal law, each state has been permitted to declare their own position on the legality of DFS competitions.

Maine’s Lawmakers did exactly that in the summer of 2017 and enacted and passed into law DFS legalization bill LD 1320. Since the passing the bill, all DFS sites are free to legally accept players from Maine and the pastime is booming with its now legal status in Maine.

When it finally arrives for Maine’s residents, legal eSports betting in the state should transform the gambling options available with new revolutionary ‘family-friendly’ forms of sports betting, untouched by a blemished legal history, led by eSports betting.

What are eSports?

Professional video game competitions, or ‘esports’, are a big thing these days. A huge scene has developed from within the underground gaming community to become a mainstream sport, and it’s growing at a rapid rate. Professional teams and players from around the world compete in leagues and tournaments that can offer prize pools worth millions of dollars. Most of these competitions attract massive audiences. Tens of thousands of people attend to watch live in packed stadiums, and there are many more millions more watching online.

The interest in esports is increasing all the time. Not only from those wanting to watch and play the games, but also from people who want to bet and win big on the professional video game contests. An increasing number of international sportsbooks offer competitive betting markets across all the major network of global eSports tournaments, as eSports betting grows rapidly now as a result of the exponential improvements in live video streaming technology.

Dota 2, StarCraft, Call of Duty, FIFA 18 and Overwatch, are the among the most popular games of the eSports world that the biggest pro teams compete for glory in and gamblers worldwide are cashing in on the action.

As sports betting becomes legal in Maine, we fully anticipate that eSports betting will lead the way in creating a new technologically-driven gambling landscape for the state’s residents to benefit from.

Horse Racing is unique in Maine as it boasts a rich heritage existing exclusively of harness racing. Harness Racing in Maine is administered by the Maine State Harness Racing Commission and the sport continues to be one of the state’s greatest revenue generating industries. While Harness Racing may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the lavish and much-loved racecourses and facilities on offer have been very much part of Maine’s gambling scene for almost 70 years.

Trackside

Maine has 2 Harness Racing tracks in addition to numerous county fair Harness Racing tracks that each host an annual thoroughbred race day (mostly during summer months).

Off Track Betting (OTB) in Maine

The State of Maine has network of 8 off-track betting locations where bets can be placed on all harness races in Maine and thoroughbred races nationwide.

Online Horse Racing in Maine

Racebooks available to Maine residents online have small first deposit requirements and are easy-to-use, offering online betting easily from your smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, other mobile device or home computer. Residents of Maine over the age of 18 have 100% legal access to online horse betting sites offering betting options on all the popular harness races in Maine, thoroughbred racing in the U.S. and major worldwide horse racing meetings.

Visit our page on Maine’s Online Gambling Laws for more information of the states regulations and reviews of the Maine’s best online casinos․