Maine tribes now angling for legal icasino, historical horse racing

Friday, January 5, 2024 4:13 PM
  • Jill R. Dorson, USBets

When Maine Gov. Janet Mills in 2022 offered an olive branch to the state’s four tribes in the form of legal sports betting, it’s a good bet that she didn’t expect this: Two months after launch, the tribes are backing bills that would expand gambling to include online casino apps, historical horse racing, and brick-and-mortar casinos both on and off tribal lands.

Maine’s tribes do not enjoy the same level of sovereignty as tribes in most other gaming states, and the Wabanaki Nations’ relationship with state government has historically been strained. As the tribes pursued further recognition through the federal government, Mills swooped in, effectively killing a commercial wagering bill that had momentum, and all but handed legal sports betting to the tribes.