Maine’s Legislature is currently considering injecting a highly addictive product into our state that will disproportionately harm young Mainers, cut jobs and deprive worthy beneficiaries of needed tax revenue.
This harmful product is internet gaming, or “iGaming.” As chair of the Maine Gambling Control Board, I cannot sit idly by while the Legislature considers passing L.D. 1777, an ill-conceived bill that purports to “create economic opportunity for Wabanaki Nations” while paying little care to the destruction that putting 24/7 casinos in everyone’s pockets will bring. Last week, it appeared that L.D. 1777 had been defeated in both the House and Senate, but the Senate tabled the bill for further consideration. The Legislature should, instead, put an end to this bill.
Inviting out-of-state corporations to switch on mobile apps that that allow Mainers to gamble anywhere at anytime with credit cards is a potentially dangerous expansion of gambling. In fact, a study out of the United Kingdom found that internet gaming is 10 times more addictive than other forms of gambling. Those most susceptible to internet gaming addition are younger individuals. We are already seeing this play out nationally, and here in Maine, since the legalization of mobile sports gambling.
In Connecticut – a state with both legalized sports wagering and internet gaming – calls to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling’s hotline doubled between 2019 and 2023. More troubling, in only three months after Connecticut legalized internet gaming, the state’s gambling helpline saw its calls quadruple.
Since mobile sports betting launched in Maine in November, calls to the state helpline have jumped dramatically. For example, in January 2024, Maine had 71 calls for help – an increase of 133% from January 2023. Putting a blackjack or roulette table in everyone’s pockets will only exacerbate the problem.
The other major flaw in L.D. 1777 is that it cuts out the state’s two casinos from offering internet gaming to award the Wabanaki Nations an effective gambling monopoly.
Oxford and Hollywood casinos are major employers and taxpayers in Maine. Yet, L.D. 1777 will lead to large cuts in that tax revenue and job losses. In 2023, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency commissioned a study that found that legalizing internet gaming would cause a 10% drop to land-based casino revenue.
In Maine, there are 19 different recipients of casino taxes, including the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes. L.D. 1777 has no plan for a loss of revenue to those recipients if Oxford and Hollywood casinos are excluded from offering internet gaming. For context, a 10% loss in revenue means that that Department of Education would lose $2.4 million, the University of Maine System Scholarship Fund would lose $435,000, and the Maine Community College System would lose $314,000.
Additionally, legalizing internet gaming does not create any new jobs in Maine. Like we saw from the legalization of sports wagering, there is no local job creation and no local infrastructure development. However, Oxford and Hollywood casinos employ nearly 1,000 Mainers. Legalizing internet gaming without permitting Oxford and Hollywood to participate will lead to job cuts.
Lastly, L.D. 1777 puts all authority for internet gaming in the hands of the director of the Gambling Control Unit, with no oversight by the Gambling Control Board. Yet, Maine law vests the power of regulating slot machines and table games to the board. By doing so, Mainers get a more representative governing body since board members must be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate with staggered terms.
Given that L.D. 1777 started out as one of the Legislature’s beloved “concept drafts” that the public never had an opportunity to review until shortly before the first public hearing, it is no surprise that the beneficiaries of internet gaming do not want the public scrutiny that comes with having to conduct business publicly at the board like the casinos must do.
L.D. 1777, as currently written, is a threat to Maine, and I urge the Legislature and Gov. Mills to exercise extreme caution before diving into internet gaming legalization.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.