Maine tribal online casino bill narrowly fails in House
A bill that would have legalized online gambling in Maine and given a monopoly to the state's four Wabanaki tribes has failed in the House. The bill was narrowly defeated on Tuesday in a 74-71 vote, the Portland Press Herald reported.
The bill introduced by Rep. Laura Supica (D-Bangor) would allow tribes to partner with third-party operators like DraftKings to offer online casino games, just as they currently do with online sports betting.
Supica believes this will help correct the imbalance in sovereign rights of Maine tribes compared to many other tribes in the United States.
Restore Balance
Tribes were granted a narrower sense of sovereignty under the Maine Indian Claims Act (MICSA) of 1980, which did not include the right to organize gambling on their lands. Currently, their reservations are considered the same as municipalities, meaning they are still subject to state law.
The Maine Sports Betting Act was passed in 2022 and was the first attempt to address tribes’ lack of gaming rights. But some lawmakers said Tuesday they believe adding mobile casino gaming is a bridge too far, especially if the state's two commercial brick-and-mortar casinos are shut out of the market.
There are concerns that tribal monopolies in online gambling will cannibalize the market for land-based casinos and could lead to job losses.
Casino Inclusion
Polish Rep. David Boyer said he would be willing to consider a bill that would include casinos and suggested trying again next session.
"As much as I'd love to play online poker, it's not the right choice," he said, according to the Press Herald. "I'm concerned about job opportunities in Oxford and Bangor. The tax rates are not comparable. The tax rates at brick-and-mortar casinos very high."
It is estimated that the tribal monopoly will generate $100 million in revenue in its first few years. Supica's bill sets the tax rate at 16%. This is significantly less than commercial casinos, which pay between 40% and 47% for slot machines.
"A lot of the concern comes from the fact that it's unique to tribes," Supica said. “But from my perspective, I fully support it because it’s a great opportunity for Maine to make some corrections to the implementation of previous gambling laws.”
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Source: www.casino.org
