PORTLAND (WGME) – Online gambling in Maine could soon go beyond sports.
A new partnership between a casino group and three Wabanaki nations aims to bring online casino gaming to the state.
It’s the next step in a process Maine lawmakers signed off on this year.
Caesars Entertainment announced the expansion Wednesday to build on the 2023 launch of Caesars Sportsbook in Maine.
Caesars wants to move forward now with online gambling, which is essentially an online casino that goes beyond sports betting.
Caesars says it will invest in the local workforce by training members of each Wabanaki nation and will provide financial support to help fund tribal community programs.
Leaders with the platform hope to launch online gambling in Maine by next year.
It became legal in Maine this year, without Governor Janet Mills’ signature, but the state is currently in the rulemaking process for how it will work.
Meanwhile, Oxford Casino is fighting this in court.
Leaders argue that allowing just the tribes to offer online gambling creates an unlawful monopoly and is discriminatory based on race.
Online sports betting has been available in Maine since 2023 and has generated millions in tax revenue.
Caesars Entertainment released a statement Wednesday about the partnership.
“Together, we’ve built a strong and responsible sports wagering experience, and this next phase reinforces our commitment to our tribal partners and to delivering a localized digital gaming experience for Mainers.”
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A public hearing will be held next month in Augusta to discuss the rulemaking process and establish how online gambling will work.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source wgme.com ’
