Maine Sports Betting
Online sports betting is legal and live in Maine. Licensed Maine betting sites began taking wagers on November 3rd, 2023, after receiving the go-ahead from state regulators.
Maine sports betting laws allow online sports betting and retail sportsbooks for customers 21 or older. Under the law, officials may issue up to four mobile sports betting licenses and authorize up to ten retail sportsbooks in Maine.
Other Maine online betting options consist of daily fantasy sports and pari-mutuel horse racing wagering.
Legal Maine Betting Sites
No Sweat Bet up to $1,000DraftKings Promo Code: Not Needed
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369)(NY). Call 1-800-522-4700 (NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV). Offer for new customers 21+ (18+ KY/NH/WY), present in AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA (select parishes), MA, MD, ME, MI, NJ, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY only. Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER. Persons under 21 years of age may not participate in sports wagering. Physically present in ME. Eligibility restrictions apply.
Maine Online Sportsbooks
Maine sports betting law allows each of the state’s four federally recognized Indian tribes to apply for online sports betting licenses in partnership with one third-party provider apiece. In theory, that means there’s room for up to four Maine betting sites. However, Caesars Sportsbook has partnered with three of the state’s four tribal casino operators, while DraftKings has partnered with the other to offer online sports betting in Maine.
No Sweat Bet up to $1,000DraftKings Promo Code: Not Needed- Launch Date: November 2023
- Partner: Passamaquoddy Tribe
- Expert Review: DraftKings Maine
As the nation’s most successful online sportsbook by revenue, DraftKings suffers no shortage of resources to invest in software development and betting promotions. As a result, the DraftKings Sportsbook Maine app features a massive pre-game and in-play wagering menu.
Additional features, including a vast menu of same game parlays and daily betting pools, give DraftKings a competitive advantage over other online sportsbooks in Maine.
All new customers who join DraftKings Sportsbook in Maine receive a straightforward welcome bonus and automatically join the Dynasty Rewards VIP program.
DraftKings entered the Maine online sports betting market through a licensing agreement with the Passamaquoddy Tribe. A press release announcing the partnership described it as a “mobile sports wagering agreement,” and did not reveal any plans for DraftKings to operate a retail sportsbook on tribal land.
$1000 Bonus BetCaesars Sportsbook Promo Code: BUSA1000- Launch Date: November 2023
- Partners: Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
- Expert Review: Caesars Sportsbook Maine
Caesars Sportsbook is another well-known sports betting operator with a capable mobile app, hundreds of markets for every game, and a significant land-based presence that ties in nicely with Caesars Rewards.
Although DraftKings has the edge in total betting markets and a significantly more user-friendly app, Caesars Sportsbook performs exceptionally well on the promotional front.
Whereas DraftKings tends to offer frequent odds boosts and parlay-related promos, Caesars Sportsbook boasts more tempting offers that issue rewards like bonus bets and trips to watch big games in person. On the other hand, the DraftKings Maine app is intuitive from the get-go, while the Caesars Sportsbook app takes some time before it feels easy to get to where one wants to be.
Both Maine sportsbooks feature competitive odds, so the best option for bettors is to open accounts at both and use whichever has the best odds for any particular wager.
Maine Sportsbook Promo Codes
Sportsbook promo codes are how customers claim welcome bonuses at some betting sites. Other online sportsbooks issue standardized bonuses to all new users regardless of whether they input a promo code.
Both legal Maine betting apps offer welcome bonuses to entice new customers to register, deposit, and bet online. One requires a promo code, and the other does not.
DraftKings has never used bonus codes because it offers the same welcome promotion to all new customers by default. Maine bettors can claim the DraftKings Sportsbook bonus by signing up, depositing, and placing a wager.
However, Caesars Sportsbook requires bettors to input a promo code when signing up. Additionally, Caesars Sportsbook occasionally changes its welcome bonus and associated promo code.
Bettors can refer to this table for the latest promo code and welcome offer at both sportsbooks.
| Online Sportsbook | Promo Code | Welcome Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| DraftKings Maine Promo Code | Not Needed | No Sweat Bet up to $1,000 |
| Caesars Sportsbook Maine Promo Code | BUSA1000 | Up to $1000 Bonus Bet |
Maine Sports Betting Bonuses
Maine’s licensed betting sites collectively boast a healthy variety of welcome bonuses for new users and ongoing promos for existing customers.
In addition to welcome bonuses, Maine sports betting apps launch new promotions regularly. Some of the types of Maine sports betting bonuses bettors can expect include:
- Odds boosts: Enhanced payouts when your selected team wins
- Early payouts: Place a bet and get paid immediately if your team gets ahead by a certain number of points, regardless of what happens later
- Parlay insurance: Get a refund if your parlay loses by just one leg
- Random bonus bets: Maine’s sportsbooks also randomly issue bonus bets to existing customers, often to entice them to return after some time of inactivity
- Loyalty programs: Sportsbook loyalty programs can add significant value to customers’ bottom lines by issuing cash, discounted hotel stays, trips to live sporting events, and more
BettingUSA always advises bettors to read every offer’s terms and conditions before claiming it, but regulations adopted by the Maine Gambling Control Unit ensure sportsbooks offer fair, easy-to-understand promotions.
For example, Chapter 64 of Maine’s sports betting regulations requires all betting promotions to meet the following standards:
- Terms and conditions that are accurate, clear, and not misleading
- Prominently display the terms and conditions anywhere the offer is advertised
- Disclose whether bettors must risk their own money when participating in any promotion
- Do not advertise promos as “risk-free bets” if the customer must wager their own money
- Do not restrict customers from withdrawing deposited funds as a condition of participating in any promotion
How to Bet Online in Maine
Maine sports fans 21 or older can sign up for online betting accounts from anywhere within state lines in about five minutes or less. The entire process, starting from deciding to bet online and ending with placing one’s first real-money wager, involves three steps:
Depositing at Maine Sportsbooks
Maine sports betting regulations allow online sportsbooks to accept electronic bank transfers, cash at the casino, and any other method approved by the Gambling Control Unit. In practice, that means bettors can fund their accounts with these betting deposit methods:
Most deposits are processed instantly, so there’s no wait between depositing and placing a wager.
Maine Sportsbook Locations
Maine will issue up to ten retail sportsbook licenses to casinos, race tracks, and off-track betting facilities (OTBs). Currently, seven facilities qualify to apply for in-person sports betting licenses in Maine.
Each of Maine’s three casinos and race tracks will likely open on-site sportsbooks at these locations:
- Hollywood Casino Bangor
- Oxford Casino
- Scarborough Downs
And four OTBs may apply for sportsbook licenses:
- Favorites OTB in Waterville
- Winners Circle OTB in Lewiston
- Winners OTB in Brunswick
- Winners OTB in Sanford
BettingUSA will update this page as the first Maine sportsbooks open for business.
Maine Online Sports Betting Law
Legislation passed in 2022 authorizes up to four online sportsbooks and mobile betting apps operated by federally recognized Indian tribes. In addition, the law authorizes up to ten retail sportsbooks at casinos, race tracks, and off-track betting facilities (OTBs).
Key things to know about Maine sports betting:
- Customers must be 21 or older to bet on sports in Maine
- Up to four mobile sports betting apps run by tribal groups
- Up to ten retail sportsbooks at casinos, tracks, and OTBs
- Licensed Maine sportsbook operators will pay a 10% tax on revenue
- Sportsbooks may accept wagers on professional sports, college sports, and esports
- Sportsbooks may not accept bets on individual games involving Maine colleges; wagers on tournaments involving Maine colleges are permitted
- The Gambling Control Unit (MGCU) regulates Maine betting sites and retail sportsbooks
Maine Daily Fantasy Sports
Free Entry + $500 Deposit BonusDraftKings Fantasy Promo Code: Not NeededMaine did not pass DFS regulation until 2017, but that did not stop the major DFS sites from operating throughout the state with no negative repercussions prior to 2017. Legislators finally got around to drafting a regulatory bill in 2017 and it became law on August 2nd of that year.
DFS laws in Maine are not overly burdensome: fantasy operators must apply for a license from the Gambling Control Unit and pay a fee of $2500 if their revenue for the previous year was $100,000 or greater. Operators with revenues less than that do not have to pay a licensing fee at all. Licenses must be renewed every twelve months with the same fee structure.
| Licensed Maine DFS Sites |
|---|
| FanDuel DFS Maine |
| DraftKings Fantasy Maine |
| Yahoo Fantasy Maine |
| Fantasy Football Players Championship |
| Splash Sports |
| RealTime Fantasy Sports |
As far as regulations go, Maine opted to pass legislation similar to what many other states passed around the time. Employees of DFS sites are not allowed to participate at all, and athletes and officials are prohibited from participating in contests that involve their respective sports. Fantasy sites must keep player funds separate from operating funds and the minimum age to play in Maine is 18.
Fantasy Pick’em Sports in Maine
Fantasy pick’em sports contests are prohibited in Maine.
The march toward prohibition began in July 2023 when the Maine Gambling Control Unit (GCU) warned Underdog Fantasy that it was investigating the legality of Underdog’s fantasy pick’em contests.
Underdog Fantasy continued operating in Maine throughout the investigation but remained in touch with the GCU. Despite lengthy discussions between Underdog and the GCU, the investigation concluded that fantasy pick’em contests violate state law.
The GCU also ordered Underdog Fantasy to cease offering pick’em-style contests and to pay a $391,850 fine, representing a $50 fine for each of the 7,837 customers it served in Maine between 2021 and 2023.
Underdog Fantasy paid the fine, retained its Maine fantasy sports license, and continued offering other types of DFS contests for a period of time. However, Underdog Fantasy and four other similarly impacted operators chose not to renew their Maine DFS licenses during the subsequent renewal window.
As a result, the following fantasy sports apps are no longer available in Maine:
- Underdog Fantasy
- Boom Fantasy
- DataForce Fantasy Football
- Jock MKT
- SportsHub Games Network
Maine Horse Racing Betting
Maine’s horse racing industry has seen better days, but the state still hosts two harness racing tracks and a handful of OTB locations that offer pari-mutuel wagering on races held across the country. Additionally, the Gambling Control Unit authorizes Hollywood Races as the state’s only licensed online horse racing betting site.
Readers can visit BettingUSA’s Maine horse racing betting guide below to learn more about the state’s authorized race tracks, where to bet online, OTB locations, and more:
Maine Online Gambling
35 Free Sweepstakes CoinsWOW Vegas Promo Code: None NeededThe land-based gambling industry in Maine is young. The state first legalized slot machines in 2004 and then Hollywood Slots opened in 2005. It wasn’t until 2008 that Hollywood Slots moved into its new facility and became Maine’s first actual casino venue. In 2012, Hollywood Casino added table games and became the state’s first full-fledged commercial casino.
The Oxford Casino opened in 2012 to become Maine’s second and only other gambling establishment. Although that puts the total number of casinos in Maine at just two, it shows the state is in an expansion mode.
As far as online poker and casino sites go, there’s not much to report on that front. The state has no immediate plans to expand its online gambling options beyond what is already legal.
Maine Online Lottery
The Maine Lottery does not sell tickets online but it does offer a subscription service for customers 18 or older with a Maine mailing address. Subscriptions may be managed online, but payment is only accepted via check or money order sent by mail.
Lottery players may purchase subscription plans online that run for 13 weeks, 26 weeks or 52 weeks. Each subscription automatically enters players into two drawings per week for the duration of the subscription.
The games offered include Tri State Megabucks, Powerball, Mega Millions and Lucky for Life. Prices for subscriptions range from $52 to $208 depending on the game and length of subscription.
Visit: club.mainelottery.com
Maine does not authorize the sale of individual tickets or subscriptions online other than through the official state website.
Maine Gambling Laws
The Maine Gambling Control Board was established in 2004 in order to oversee the first slot machine facilities introduced to the state. Now, it serves as a regulatory body over the state’s two land-based casinos and any future casinos.
Maine’s gaming laws inflict significant penalties on those who organize or “advance” gambling but appear to have no measures in place to punish those who merely participate as players. The state defines gambling with the following text:
“A person engages in gambling if he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”
The state considers it a Class D crime if a person profits from an unlawful gambling activity or plays a slot machine under the age of 21. Note here that “profiting” does not mean acting as a player; it means earning money by hosting an unauthorized gaming operation. The punishment for a Class D crime is up to 364 days in jail and up to $2,000 in fines.
Additionally, one can be charged with a Class B crime if he or she hosts an unlawful gaming activity that accepts more than 5 bets totaling more than $500 in a 24 hour period or receives more than $1,000 in a 24-hour period for hosting an unlicensed lottery, mutuel or other gambling scheme. The punishment for this one is much stiffer at up to 10 years imprisonment and up to $20,000 in fines.
Some interpretations of existing law may expose individual gamblers to prosecution for merely participating as players, but the state has never charged someone for placing wagers online. Still, it would be best to avoid doing business with illegal online betting sites. Maine looks increasingly likely to legalize online betting at some point, so the best thing to do now is hang tight until lawmakers decide the best way forward.
Maine Sports Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.