Maine

Fresh on the scene, Maine is one of the latest states to join the sports betting craze. On November 3, 2023, Maine officially launched two prominent online sports betting apps. In addition to the two online operators, retail betting is also available in Pine Tree State.

In Maine, all betting on professional sports is unrestricted, but wagering on collegiate sports is limited to out-of-state colleges. Outside of sports betting, Pine Tree State residents can also bet on horse and greyhound races in person or through a mobile app. However, bettors in the state cannot wager on politics, entertainment events, or eSports.

Daily fantasy apps were legalized in the state in 2017 under LD 1320, and since then, many prominent operators in the market have entered the state. These operators include FanDuel DFS, DraftKings DFS, and Yahoo. There were initially several more operators in the state, but recently, five of them, decided not to renew their licenses.

Online sports betting in The Pine Tree State

To put Maine’s sports betting bill history in sports terms, the state had been on the goal line for years, but they could not cross the goal line to pass a bill. Maine was close to becoming one of the first states to legalize sports betting. After a bill passed through both chambers in 2019, Governor Janet Mills did not take action, pushing it to a 2020 legislative session. On the final day before the bill was set to take effect due to inaction, Mills vetoed it.

Another sports betting bill would pass both chambers in 2021, but once again, it would be tabled until the following legislative session in 2022. After deciding that in-state tribes would receive exclusive rights to online sports betting and that retail betting would also be allowed, Governor Janet Mills finally signed the bill.

While the bill was now signed, the process of getting sports betting off the ground continued to be slow. Even with the signature coming in 2022, online sports betting did not go live until November 3, 2023, when both Caesars and DraftKings launched for users on both Apple and Android devices in the state.

The tribes that run sports betting in Maine include the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes. Caesars Sportsbook aggressively approached the Maine market by partnering with three of the four tribes, essentially cornering the market for itself.

However, even with Caesars securing three of the partnerships, DraftKings has still chosen to enter the market by partnering with the Passamaquoddy tribe. As a result, Maine residents will face a limited mobile betting market; however, they will have ten retail locations available for in-person betting.

All legal ME sports betting apps in 2026:

Top ME betting apps in terms of popularity (2026)

Maine's online sports betting market remains one of the most concentrated in the US, with DraftKings controlling a dominant 73.32% share in 2026. While still overwhelmingly in the lead, this marks quite a decline from its 85.23% share in 2024 and 80.69% in 2025, indicating a measurable shift.

Caesars, the only other licensed operator in the state, has thus gained ground, increasing its market share first from 14.77% in 2024 to 19.31% in 2025, and then to 26.68% in 2026.

This change may reflect increased promotional activity or improved retention efforts by Caesars, or simply a natural market adjustment as Maine's player base matures. However, DraftKings' supremacy remains firmly intact, with no new operators, such as FanDuel, entering the market due to Maine's tribal exclusivity structure.

As we advance, Caesars' gains are worth monitoring, but DraftKings remains the dominant force, benefiting from strong brand recognition and a streamlined single-operator arrangement with the Passamaquoddy tribe.

Sports betting & gambling legislation in ME

While finally getting a sports betting bill across the finish line is exciting, Maine residents need to learn about the rules and regulations before diving in. For starters, bettors must be at least 21 to place a bet online or at a retail location. Any bettor older than 21 is also subject to a 7.15% state tax on their winnings, in addition to the 24% federal tax.

Maine also uses geofencing software to ensure all bettors are within state lines when placing a wager. While remote registration is available for mobile betting apps, bettors must ensure they are in the proper location when placing a bet. Depending on whether a 2026 bill passes, bettors in the state could also be prohibited from using a credit card for sports betting transactions. The Maine Gambling Control Unit enforces all state rules and regulations.

Gambling legislation remained a topic of discussion after sports betting was legalized, with attention then turning to iGaming. By allowing Legislative Document 1164 to become law without her signature, Governor Janet Mills has paved the way for her state to become the 8th in the US to legalize regulated online casino gaming. Mills originally postponed a decision on this topic in July of 2025, but in early 2026, she changed her tune, putting her faith in the Maine Gambling Control Unit. Just as with sports betting, the four recognized Wabanaki Nations will control online casino gaming, allowing them to expand their partnerships with DraftKings and Caesars.

Turning L.L.Bean Boots Into Wagers: Novelty Betting at Maine Fairs

At Maine’s summer fairs and autumn festivals, the humble L.L.Bean boot may be the next frontier in quirky, regional betting entertainment. A “Bean Boot Toss Accuracy Challenge” where fairgoers compete by throwing the iconic Maine-made footwear at targets, all while crowds cheer and bettors place prop wagers on precision or sheer distance.

With clear rules, simple competition regulations, and regional appeal, this contest could be gamified through geofenced mobile betting apps or on-site kiosks. Categories such as “Most Accurate Toss” or “Furthest Toss” open the door to numerous novelty betting markets. 

If even 0.05% of Maine’s sports betting handle were redirected to seasonal novelty contests like this, it could generate thousands in wagers each year. This would mean additional tax revenue and support for local events such as fairs and small-business vendors. For a state deeply rooted in craftsmanship and outdoor culture, transforming a staple of state fashion into a betting favorite could help Maine establish itself as an outside-the-box betting state.

Betting on buoy toss events: A unique addition to Maine’s gambling landscape

At Maine’s historic maritime festivals, harbor-side games like buoy tossing offer a slice of local tradition and perhaps some extra money in bettors' pockets. With competitors throwing buoys across docks or toward targets, the sport already includes measurable outcomes like distance and accuracy. That makes it ideal for novelty wagering.

If Maine were to expand its legal betting markets to include festival-based markets, buoy toss contests could reel in seasonal revenue and spark additional community engagement. Prop bets could cover everything from “longest toss of the day” to “closest hit on a buoy barrel,” drawing in both longtime locals and interested tourists looking for lighthearted action.

A novelty betting category like this could not only boost foot traffic to coastal towns and help promote lesser-known festivals but also potentially generate thousands in wagers and valuable tax income each summer.

Most recent updates from the ME sports betting & gambling scenes

• January 27, 2026: Rep. Marc Malon has introduced a bill that would prevent bettors in Maine from funding their sports betting accounts with a credit card.

• January 14, 2026: Maine weighs a ban on online sweepstakes casinos, with regulators telling lawmakers the dual-currency games amount to illegal, unlicensed gambling. No vote has happened yet, but talks will continue. The move follows a national crackdown, as several states have already outlawed the games and others are preparing similar bills, backed by cease-and-desist actions and legal threats.

• January 8, 2026: Maine is set to legalize online casinos, becoming the eighth U.S. state to do so after Gov. Janet Mills let an approval bill take effect. The law gives the state’s four tribes exclusive rights to run iGaming with one partner each, including Caesars and DraftKings. Regulators and major operators opposed it, warning it could hurt existing casinos.

• December 5, 2025: Maine regulators move to curb sweepstakes-style gambling by targeting platforms built on dual-currency mechanics that convert purchased virtual credits into cash prizes. A proposal from the Department of Public Safety would reclassify such models as sweepstakes and impose fines of up to $100,000. The effort mirrors broader national scrutiny and follows Maine’s tribe-led sports betting launch in 2023, while iGaming expansion stalled.

• October 29, 2025: With the college basketball season around the corner, the Maine Black Bears have the third-best odds to win the America East regular season title at (+700).

• September 26, 2025: The Maine Black Bears are set to host North Carolina A&T this weekend, and they are listed as (-13.5) favorites.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Retail sports betting is legal, but as of January 29, 2025, Oddfellahs Sportsbook and Bar, located in Portland, was the only retail sportsbook accepting real-money physical wagers in the state. Due to its license suspension, Oddfellahs had to stop operating. Mike Cianchette, the owner of Oddfellahs, remains optimistic that the venue, which operates in partnership with Caesars, will be permitted to reopen.

Thus, the retail wagering scene in Maine is currently at a standstill. However, a total of ten retail licenses are available in the state, so Maine bettors will have plenty of options once in-person betting fully arrives. The state's two casinos, the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway and the Oxford Casino Hotel, will likely be the next retail locations to take legal sports wagers.

The underground poker scene of Maine’s logging camps – Myth or reality?

Tucked away in the lush forests of Maine, where logging camps have existed for centuries, rumors circulate about an underground poker scene known only to those who frequent the land among the towering pines. Stories passed down through generations suggest that after long days of grueling labor, such as chopping timber and hauling logs, some loggers unwind by gathering in secluded cabins to play high-stakes poker.

These secret games allegedly take place far from the public eye, where cash, alcohol, and even equipment are said to be wagered. Some claim that fortunes have been won and lost on a single hand, while others are insistent that these stories have turned into nothing more than tall tales told around a campfire.

While Maine’s strict gambling laws prohibit unregulated poker games, the remoteness of logging operations makes regulation nearly impossible. Whether these underground games still operate today or are simply part of the state’s folklore is up for debate, but with limited casinos in the state, it would not be shocking to hear that these games are still run frequently.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Maine was among the last states in the region to legalize sports betting. While the legislation varies by state, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts have been waiting for their New England counterparts to join the market.

All three surrounding states had their own issues getting a sports betting bill passed. To learn more about each state's specific regulations, click on the state name below.

Sports betting revenue impact on Maine's economy

There are two types of licenses available in Maine. Online licenses are strictly for the four Native American tribes, which allows each to partner with one online operator. All online operators are subject to a 16% tax rate, and each license has a $200,000 fee. Ten retail licenses are available for a fee of $4,000, but those retail operators are subject to a 10% tax rate on revenue.

Although Maine had only two sportsbooks active in its first month of legalization, it had a successful coming-out party, with handle and sportsbook operator revenue exceeding $37.4 million and $4.5 million, respectively, in November 2023. However, during the first full year of legal sports betting (2024), Maine's monthly averages for handle (approx. $44m) and revenue (approx. $4.8m) far exceeded these starter figures.

In September 2025, Maine's legal sports betting market reached $1 billion in total sports bets, making it the 26th state to reach that milestone. As a whole, 2025 was another great year for the ME betting market, as it saw a double digits growth year-on-year in total betting volume (15.1%), revenue (23.6%), and tax income (20.5%).

Since Maine ranks among the bottom 10 states in the U.S. in population and has the least expansive market, it will never be one of the highest-earning states. However, compared to other states within those guidelines, like Vermont, Maine has already shown it can generate a strong monthly betting handle, revenue, and tax income.

Maine sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: November 2025 ($63,350,070)

• Revenue: November 2024 ($8,286,281)

• Tax income: November 2024 ($800,344)

Latest ME sports betting revenue report breakdown (January 2026)

• Total betting handle: $60,541,264

  • Mobile betting handle: $59,567,545

  • Retail betting handle: $973,719

• Winnings paid to players: $53,177,605

  • Cancelled & voided wagers: $169,724

  • Hold: 12.16%

• Gross revenue: $7,363,659

  • Adjusted (taxable) revenue: $7,045,895

• Tax revenue for the state: $704,590

Reported by the Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU).

Top performing sportsbook apps in the state in January 2026:

1. DraftKings (Passamaquoddy Tribe)

   • Handle: $43.7m

   • Adjusted revenue: $6.1m

2. Caesars (Penobscot, Maliseet & Micmac Tribes)

   • Handle: $15.9m

   • Adjusted revenue: $797,798

The current ME mobile sportsbooks market shares - January 2026

Maine online sports betting market shares for the whole 2025 year

Maine online sports betting market shares 2024

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

ME sports betting revenue in 2026

The following table shows all the essential figures for the Maine sports betting market for 2026. In addition to the monthly handle, revenue, and tax income, it also presents how such figures have evolved compared to the previous month (percentage in brackets).

2025 betting revenue data

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

Maine’s fizzy betting frontier: Why Moxie Fest could fuel seasonal handle

Maine’s legendary Moxie Festival is a quirky celebration of the state’s most famously polarizing soda. While non-Maine residents may have never heard of the soft drink, for locals, it might just hold untapped potential as a playground for novelty sports betting. Every summer in Lisbon, Maine, the Moxie faithful gather to compete in everything from chugging contests and costume parades to the beloved Moxie recipe cook-off. But the buck doesn’t just have to stop at friendly wagers. 

Imagine betting lines for "Fastest Moxie Chugger" or even “Which county will consume the most Moxie per capita during festival weekend.” These low-stakes, community-driven betting markets could drive additional engagement and tourism while piquing the interest of curious bettors from beyond the state.

With mobile sportsbooks already legal in Maine, integrating novelty bets tied to local events like Moxie Fest could generate $100,000–$250,000 in seasonal handle, especially if paired with app promos or local sponsorships. That is all assuming in-state sportsbooks would be willing to adopt a local market like this. The biggest argument for the apps to lean into a market like this, though, is that it’s a fizzy fusion of Maine pride, humor, and profit potential that could become a signature summer event in the betting world.

How betting on lobster boat races could boost Maine’s gambling revenue

Maine’s lobster boat races are a thrilling, high-speed tradition where working fishing vessels compete for bragging rights and, at times, cash prizes. But could this adrenaline-fueled coastal sport evolve into a legal betting market?

As novelty sports betting gains popularity, events like cornhole and competitive eating have attracted bettors across numerous states. Considering Maine’s strong ties to lobster fishing, permitting bets on which boat will prevail on the water could turn these local races into a profitable gambling attraction.

Certainly, legalization would require strict regulations, and finding a group of people who could properly set the lines and markets for these events could be challenging. However, if managed properly, lobster boat race betting could enhance tourism, stimulate local economies, and introduce a unique touch of Maine to the sports gambling industry.