A bill proposing the expansion of tribal gambling in Maine did not get much traction, despite lawmakers’ attempts during last week and this week. Currently, the state’s four federally recognized tribes offer exclusive online sports betting services. Under a proposal, the Wabanaki tribes in Maine would be granted exclusive rights to online gambling activities too.
Although lawmakers in the state gave it two attempts, the aforementioned proposal did not get to see the light of day. As announced by the Portland Press Herald, a bill proposing to grant the Wabanaki tribes exclusive rights over online gambling was shut down by the Senate and the House last week. Gaining insufficient support prevented the proposal from proceeding.
Yet, lawmakers made another push this week, after Assistant Senate Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry requested the proposal to be reviewed once again. In contrast to the first vote, this time, the bill successfully passed the Senate in a 19-13 vote. As it turns out, it is not uncommon for some lawmakers to support the side that prevails even if they don’t agree and decide to revert their vote in case a proposal is reconsidered.
However, the success of the proposal was short-lived. This is because after the approval from the Senate on Tuesday, later on the same day, the proposal was shut down in a House vote.
Exclusive Tribal Online Gambling May Impact Existing Casino Operators
According to supporters of the bill, the federally recognized tribes would benefit from gaining exclusive rights on iGaming which is expected to bring economic stimulus. Moreover, supporters said that this vital revenue would be reinvested by the tribes and contribute to their growth and the local economy, rather than making money for businesses outside of Maine.
In contrast, opponents of the tribal gambling expansion raised their concerns about the impact on existing casino operators. The opponents claimed that the tribes may benefit from $100 million in revenue in the next few years. This missing revenue may impact the current land-based casino operators who may suffer from business decline resulting in job cuts.
Online gambling is currently available in less than 10 states across the country, including New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Delaware, among others. Still, iGaming is yet to reach the popularity and expansion of sports betting, which is legal in nearly 40 US states.