Maine Online Casinos Launch Risks Delay, Warns State Gambling Unit

Legal Betting Archives |
Written By Jon Young | Published at October 22, 2026
Maine online casinos could be delayed if more rule changes come
Maine online casinos could be delayed if more rule changes are proposed, warns the MGCU

The prospect of Maine online casinos going live in early 2027 could be hampered following another change in the state’s proposed laws.

Maine legalized online casinos in January. However, a laborious chain of rule reviews covering everything from licensing and software has delayed the official launch.

Following a meeting of the Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU) this week, the possibility of even further delays was laid bare.

Executive Director Milt Champion warned that further revisions of the online casino proposals could mean the industry missing its Q1 2027 launch date.

‘Major Substantive Changes’ Could Force Delay

Speaking in a call Tuesday, the MGCU said it was on its third publication of the proposed rules on online gambling. Those were released on Sept. 30 and included clarifications on live casino software and online marketing.

Unless “major substantive changes” are received by the Oct. 30 cutoff for comments, Champion added, the process will continue. However, any proposed changes will then require a fourth publication of the iGaming rules.

Ultimately, that could result in Maine’s Q1 launch date being pushed back until the spring.

Maine Online Gambling Partnerships in Place

Maine legalized online casinos in January this year after Gov. Janet Mills passed LD 1164 into law. Under the proposals, Maine’s four tribal communities can operate online casinos.

Under the new law, each of Maine’s four tribes can have one online partner.

Caesars already has a deal in place with three tribes (Penobscot Nation, Mi’kmaq Nation, and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians) for online gambling.

Caesars is hoping to launch three separate casino brands, one for each iGaming license:

The Passamaquoddy Tribe has a deal in principle with DraftKings. The sportsbook already operates an online casino in regulated states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Tax Plans, Rules Clarified in October

Tax rules are already in place for online casinos in Maine. The state will tax operators 18% of adjusted gross online gaming receipts.

According to projections, the state expects to raise $3.6 million in the fiscal year 2026-2027.

Additionally, Maine clarified some of its software and age limits rules this month.

A key rule change is in how online casinos handle live casino games.

Live dealer operators can host games outside state lines in a change to earlier stipulations. This could have been a major stumbling block for operators wanting to host games from live casino providers with out-of-state studios.

In Michigan, live dealer operators host games within the state. Ezugi went live in Michigan in 2026, streaming games from a live dealer studio based in Grand Rapids.

It’s been nine months since Churchill Down’s Oxford Casino sued the state over its decision to afford the tribes exclusivity over online gambling.

Oxford Casino is one of Maine’s only brick-and-mortar casinos and is now up for sale.

There has been no resolution reached on Oxford Casino’s objection to the tribal exclusivity in Maine. However, further amendments to the iGaming rules in Maine cannot be dismissed before the state goes live in 2027.

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