Maine’s gambling landscape expanded this week as a new law granting exclusive online casino rights to the state’s tribal nations took effect, despite an active federal lawsuit challenging the arrangement.
The law, which became effective Wednesday along with close to 300 other measures approved during the legislative session that ended in April, allows Maine’s tribes to offer internet-based table games including poker, blackjack and roulette. The state is currently writing rules for the new iGaming framework, with operators expected to launch sometime in late 2026 or early 2027.
Oxford Casino filed a federal lawsuit contending the tribal monopoly violates race-based discrimination laws. The casino argues Maine cannot legally grant tribes exclusive market access while barring commercial operators from offering the same products. The suit does not interfere with the law’s effective date, meaning regulators can proceed with rulemaking and licensing despite the pending litigation.
Broader legislative package includes immigration and budget measures
The gambling law arrived as part of a wave of new legislation covering immigration enforcement, education, housing and medical debt protections. Gov. Janet Mills signed a supplemental budget including hundreds of millions of dollars for state initiatives and $300 affordability checks for eligible residents.
Those one-time payments will go to Maine taxpayers who reported federal adjusted gross incomes below $50,000 if single or below $100,000 if married filing jointly on their 2025 tax returns. The state plans to begin mailing checks later this month.
Immigration enforcement drew significant legislative attention this year. New laws now require federal agents to present a judge-signed warrant to access private spaces at public facilities, prohibit landlords from sharing tenant immigration information without a judicial warrant, and restrict local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Maine State Police have reportedly been following the local cooperation limits for months, though not all municipal agencies have adopted the policy.
The budget also created a new Office of the Child Advocate to investigate complaints and advise state leaders on child welfare improvements, allocated $267,000 annually to track sexual assault forensic examination kits, and set aside $5.9 million to retrofit school buses with crossing arms following two fatal accidents in 2025. A separate measure introduced stronger medical debt protections, prohibiting collectors from placing liens on homes or garnishing wages.
The tribal gaming law represents Maine’s first authorization of online casino play, a market structure that several other states have adopted in recent years. Whether the federal challenge will force amendments to the tribal-exclusive framework remains an open question as regulators move forward with implementation.
Based on reporting by Portland Press Herald.