Approved Maine iGaming Bill Paused Until January

• Gov. Janet Mills (D) chose to take no action on an approved iGaming bill
• The Maine House and Senate approved LD 1164 in June
• Mills will have several days to make a final decision on the bill in January

Gov. Janet Mills (D) bought herself another few months to determine the fate of Maine iGaming.

Gov. Mills took no action prior to the conclusion of the legislation session on the House and Senate approved LD 1164, a bill to legalize iGaming in the Pine Tree State. The bill legalizes iGaming for the four tribes of the Wabanaki Nations.

With Gov. Mills’ decision to take no action on Maine online casino, she has effectively delayed her deadline until January when the state comes back into session.

January Decision Incoming on iGaming

With the governor declining to take action prior to the conclusion of the legislative session, she will now have until January when the state’s next session begins. When state lawmakers reconvene on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, Gov. Mills will have three days to made a decision on the bill.

Maine’s iGaming bill had a strange journey to approval this year. The bill was introduced earlier in 2025, but received little to no interest. It was resurrected by the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee in May after Gov. Mills directed lawmakers to come back for a special session to discuss the state’s upcoming budget.

The Maine Senate approved the bill earlier this month by an 85-59 vote, but the Senate took a different route to approval. The Senate split on the bill initially, tabling it on June 12. The Senate took the bill back up on Monday, attempting to reject it outright, but a vote fell short. Members of the Senate ultimately passed the bill without a roll call, took it up again late Monday night, but a motion to reconsider failed 17-18.

Following legislative protocol, both the House and Senate followed the recommendation of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee and approved the bill.

iGaming Bill Details

If signed into law, Maine will become the eighth state in the country to approve iGaming. The bill grants exclusive iGaming control to Maine’s four tribes of the Wabanaki Nations – the Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy tribes – similar to how lawmakers approved sports betting in the Pine Tree State.

Each of the four tribes will be allowed to partner with a third-party operator for its iGaming platforms. Tribes can offer Maine online casino games not limited to blackjack, poker, dice, craps, roulette or baccarat.

The games will be taxed at a rate of 16%. Maine will earmark iGaming funds to address problem gaming programs, substance use disorder, veteran housing, and emergency housing relief. A fiscal note for the bill reports the state can expect $3,600,000 in new tax revenues by fiscal year 2026-2027.

Gov. Mills vs. iGaming

After the bill’s approval, reports began leaking from the state that Gov. Mills was considering a veto of the bill.

According to the Maine Morning Star, Wabanaki leaders believe there many not be much of an appetite for expanded gaming in Maine, which could lead to the governor exercising her veto rights.

Additionally, Churchill Dows and Penn Entertainment both operator brick-and-mortar casinos in the state and likely oppose the bills legalization. Brick-and-mortar casino operators tend to oppose the legalization of iGaming, citing cannibalization concerns for revenues and jobs.