Maine: Portland city council worried about possible impact of sports betting bar

Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:39 PM
Photo:  50 yard line flickr photo by jimmywayne shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) license
  • Anna Coon, WGME-TV

Maine’s first in-person sports betting bar may soon be coming to Portland.

The owners cleared a first hurdle during a city council meeting Monday night.

Several city councilors say they are worried about the impacts of having in-person sports betting in Portland and how it could affect both people and the economy. Still, Monday night, the council granted a liquor license to First Tracks Investments, LLC. to open a sports bar on Market Street.

The city can’t stop the bar from conducting sports betting. It’s up to the state’s Gambling Control Unit to approve a license for the in-person sports wagering.