Jun. 17—AUGUSTA — A bill to provide tribal nations in Maine with exclusive rights to offer electronic table games like poker, roulette and blackjack has now cleared both chambers and appears to be headed to Gov. Janet Mills, whose administration testified against the measure earlier this year.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, cleared the Senate late Monday by a single vote, 18-17.
The House of Representatives advanced the bill last week, but it still faces additional votes in each chamber, where debate could continue.
Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, was one of four Democrats to join Republicans in opposition the bill. He warned that allowing online gambling on electronic table games would result in job losses at the state’s two brick-and-mortar casinos — one of which, Hollywood Casino, is in his district — and jeopardize revenue to the state for programs like public education and veterans services.
Online gaming, he said, also would be difficult for the state to oversee. He noted the the state’s two casinos are overseen by the state’s Gambling Control Unit and the Gambling Control Board, both of which opposed the bills, along with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which has warned of the addictive and isolating nature of both gambling and phone usage.
“Passing this bill will effectively destroy the Gambling Control Board or any effort to have it done by a regulatory agency that public and transparent,” Baldacci said. “We’re talking about public accountability, public policy and public money. We have an obligation to the entire public — all 1.4 million Mainers.”
LD 1164 would grant exclusive iGaming rights to four federally recognized tribes in Maine — the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and the Mi’kmaq Nation.
The state would receive 18% of the gross receipts, generating millions of dollars annually for a variety of programs, including gambling addiction prevention and treatment, opioid use prevention and treatment, the Maine Veterans’ Homes, Fund for Healthy Maine, school renovation loans, and emergency housing relief.
Mills aides did not respond to questions about the her position on the bill.
A similar measure was introduced last year but failed in both chambers, so the fact that it was support in each chamber this year represents significant progress.
The current bill would build on the tribe’s exclusive rights to online gambling. Lawmakers previously gave granted the tribes exclusive access to online sports betting, which went live in 2023.
Proponents have argued that giving tribes exclusive access to online gambling would provide a much needed economic boost, not only for tribes, but surrounding communities, especially in Aroostook and Washington counties. Online gambling already is happening illegally here and regulating it will allow the state and residents to benefit from additional tax dollars, they said.
Rep. Brian Reynolds of the Houlton Band of Maliseets said during last week’s House debate the bill would “lay the foundation for self-reliance through modern tools,” noting that tribes already have experience with online gambling, since the state granted them exclusive rights to online sports betting, which went live in 2023.
“This is a chance for us to meet economic needs without waiting on federal grants or new appropriations,” he said. “It allows us to stand on our own through a legal regulated system that’s already functioning throughout the United States of America.”
But opponents such as Sen. Jeff Timberlake, R-Turner, asked, “at what cost?” They warned the bill would amount to the largest expansion of gambling in the state’s history.
“This isn’t innovation — this is exploitation of the people of the state of Maine,” Timberlake said. “It extracts wealth and leave behind debt, broken relationships and increased pressure on mental health services.”
Other Senate Democrats who opposed the bill were Chip Curry of Belfast, Tim Nangle of Windham and Joe Rafferty of Kennebunk.
The House and Senate must each take up the bill once more before it can be sent to the governor.
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