Maine Sportsbooks Could Open By 2020
Maine is considering a few different bills to legalize sports betting.- The state is hoping sportsbooks could open before the Super Bowl next year.
- Some lawmakers do not want to see sports betting in the state.
AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine lawmakers are considering a couple of different bills that would legalize and regulate sports betting in the state.
Bills With The Most Action
There are currently two different bills that have seen the most amount of progress in Maine. ME LD 1348 was sponsored by representative Jeffery Evangelos.
This sports betting legislation makes the legal gambling age 21 and opens sportsbooks in racetracks and casinos. ME LD 1348 also allows for bets to be placed online as well as create a 25 percent tax on sports betting revenue from gambling operators.
ME LD 1515 does things a little bit differently. Representative Dustin White created this bill to allow those who are 18 and older to place their sports bets. However, you will only be allowed to place your bets on a retail harness track. No online option is available. The tax rate for sports betting revenue will be placed at 18 percent.
A new bill has been introduced as well. ME LD 1571 was introduced on Monday and it gives an exclusive right to the native tribes in Maine to conduct sports betting. This bill will tax operators at a 10 percent rate of net online sports pools. The money will go to the Department of Education to benefit K-12 programs.
Many Disagreements About Sports Betting
As you can see above, there many disagreements on how to operate sports betting in Maine. No one can agree on who should operate sports betting and where the taxed revenue should go to. Online sports betting is also up in the air as well.
There are some lawmakers that do not believe sports betting should be legalized in the first place. Those who do not approve of sports betting says that it is not a reliable source of revenue. They also believe that it could cause more gambling addiction in Maine and do more harm than good.
The lawmaker who does not want sports betting also says that there is no reliable source to show how big the illegal sports betting market is in Maine. Although there are reports that give us an idea of how big sports betting is all over the country, Maine has not conducted a study for the state itself. These lawmakers also believe that there will be an increase in sports betting corruption, especially when regarding to college athletes.
Marching Forward
Those who made and sponsored the sports betting bills are still wanting to continue discussions to legalize sports betting. Evangelos said that Maine should not lag behind the country when sports betting has been legalized in the country over a year ago. He and other lawmakers are wanting to capitalize on the revenue generated from sports wagering.
If the bills for sports betting in Maine continue on at the rate they are going, sports betting in the state can be legalized soon. Lawmakers are hoping that sportsbooks will be open in the Pine Tree State by the Super Bowl in 2020 or before March Madness next year.
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