• About Us / Contact
This site contains commercial content
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Massachusetts
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbooks
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Guide To ‘Risk-Free’ Bets
    • Common Beginner Mistakes
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
    • Partnership Tracker
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Massachusetts
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbooks
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Guide To ‘Risk-Free’ Bets
    • Common Beginner Mistakes
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
    • Partnership Tracker
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
No Result
View All Result

Maine Senate Overrides Sports Betting Veto, Sets State On Path For Legal Wagering

House must concur to make Maine the third New England state with legal sports betting

Jill R. Dorson by Jill R. Dorson
February 6, 2020
in Regulation
Maine's Capitol Building in Augusta (Shutterstock)

Maine's Capitol Building in Augusta (Shutterstock)

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

In a state that is about as far East as possible in the U.S., the phrase “Wild, Wild West” came up in Maine Thursday when the Senate overrode Governor Janet Mills’ veto of a bill to legalize sports wagering, 20-10.

The vote was just barely the two-thirds required to override a veto. The Senate will now send the override to the House for concurrence. The bill was one three Mills vetoed on January, and the first to be overridden.

Ever since Mills vetoed the measure on Jan. 10, the override has been on the Senate calendar with no action. On a snowy day that nearly ended up in a cancelled session, Democratic Senator Louis Luchini walked his peers through a well thought-out presentation on why he and the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs believe their bill, SB 175, is the best way for Maine to move forward. And then his explanation withstood a barrage of reasons for why Maine should legalize — but in a different way, under different parameters.

At issue among the senators wasn’t whether or not sports betting should be legalized, but how. The current bill would allow for one of the most open, competitive marketplaces in the country — it legalizes state-wide mobile with remote registration, no requirement to tether to mobile sportsbook to a brick-and-mortar- casino, and no limit on the number of potential licensees. Almost any entity meeting regulatory muster could host a physical sportsbook lounge, from commercial casinos to OTBs and horse racetracks to tribal interests. It also reasonable tax rates of 10% on gross gaming revenue from retail sportsbooks and 16% from mobile sportsbooks.

Maine House still must weigh in on sports betting

“The legalization before us is bad for Maine, it is the wild, wild west of sports betting,” argued Senator Republican Senator Scott Cyrway. “For me, it comes down to the impact it will have on our own state, that  is the biggest part of this, is how it weighs on our state. Simply put, where there is a brick and mortar, there is an investment. If you do not live in Maine, you are not going to be as invested as if you do live in the state. Our casinos provide jobs, and a safe place for gaming.”

Cyrway was referring to the “untethered” mobile component in the bill, which would allow mobile sports betting operators, like FanDuel or William Hill or the Las Vegas-based Circa Sports (which just found a partner in Colorado) or whomever, enter the market without a physical location.

On the other side was Republican Senator Matthew Pouliot, who said  that one gaming chief said it best when it comes to sports betting, “New Hampshire is open for business.”

He was referring Maine’s neighbor, and lottery executive director Charlie McIntrye, though it appears it was New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu who tweeted out the phrase on the day of Mills’ veto.

NEW HAMPSHIRE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS! https://t.co/ap53l7Xh2l

— Chris Sununu (@GovChrisSununu) January 10, 2020

DraftKings launched its mobile sports betting app in late December in the Granite State. Since then, some Maine lawmakers have felt enormous pressure to legalize, as it’s been clear that Mainers are going to New Hampshire to place bets.

“If the Maine House doesn’t approve the veto override, it will be the wild, wild West, because everyone is going to New Hampshire, and the illegal market (in Maine) would continue to thrive,” said consultant Brendan Bussmann of Global Market Advisors after Thursday’s vote. “I think they listened to their constituents, and they see the benefit of having a regulated market, seeing tax revenue flow into the state, and squashing the black market.”

Luchini calls casino lobby ‘overstated’

When Maine lawmakers first approved sports betting, they did so with a 19-15 vote in the Senate and an overwhelming majority in the House, which did not take a roll call-vote. There appears to be some question about procedure this time around, and whether or not the House will take a roll-call vote or a show of hands/verbal vote. But either way, it appears the House must concur before sports betting becomes legal in Maine.

At the outset of Tuesday’s debate, Luchini carefully laid out why his bill would be best for Maine, and called casino lobbying “overstated.” In particular, Luchini explained why the bill does not include a provision to have mobile applications tethered to retail sites.

“Under (tethering) agreements, (operators) pay a market access fee … and the majority of our committee rejected this for three reasons: 1. it’s totally anti-competitive; … 2. This really amounts to a subsidy for casinos … they use tethering as a way to prop up struggling casinos; … and  3. They use apps to drive people into casinos.”

Luchini went on to say that the demographic for sports betting — usually a fairly well-to-do young man — doesn’t often visit casinos and that he and his committee “didn’t think it was wise to try to get people to come in use slot machines,” which he called the “most addictive” kind of gambling. In closing, Luchini said, “This bill offers a safe, regulated system for those that want to bet on sports, and it helps out Maine retailers who want to have sports betting.”

Though opponents argued that mobile operators don’t have a vested interest in the state, it was clear that Luchini never would have called for the vote on Thursday if he didn’t know he had the votes. It looked as if the override would happen earlier this week, but two Senators who were confirmed “yes” votes were absent on Tuesday.

Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island have all legalized sports betting. You’re just letting business go to other states @MassGovernor https://t.co/WGnhbVKY9O

— John Cannavo (@JohnCannavo_) February 6, 2020

Should the House concur, Maine will become the third New England state with legal sports betting, behind Rhode Island, which legalized in 2018, and New Hampshire. Lawmakers in both Connecticut and Massachusetts have been discussing sports betting for the last few years, but neither has taken any real action on it. The Connecticut General Assembly opened on Wednesday, and ahead of that two Senators released a draft of a sports betting bill.

The first opportunity for the House to vote on the override will be Tuesday, when it goes back in session.

Thursday’s session was historic in that it marked the first time that a veto on sports betting legislation was overridden in any chamber since the fall of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Governors in Michigan and Montana have both vetoed sports betting-related or internet gaming legislation. In Michigan, the veto came in late 2018, but sports betting was legalized a year later. In Montana, one of two sports betting bills was vetoed in 2019, and the state’s lottery is in the process of going live with sports betting.

Share1TweetShare
Jill R. Dorson

Jill R. Dorson

Jill has covered everything from steeplechase to the NFL and then some during a more than 30-year career in sports journalism. The highlight of her career was covering Oakland Raiders during the Charles Woodson/Jon Gruden era, including the infamous “Snow Bowl” and the Raiders’ 2003 trip to Super Bowl XXXVII. Her specialty these days is covering sports betting legislation across the country. You can reach Jill at jill@bettercollective.com

Related Posts

buffalo-lake-maine
Legislation

First Sports Bets In Maine Still More Than A Year Away

May 10, 2022
pen-signing-document
Legislation

It’s Official! Maine First State To Legalize Wagering In 2022

May 2, 2022
Load More

Top Sportsbooks In Your State

1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
FanDuel Sportsbook
Review / 4.8
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
FanDuel Sportsbook
Review / 4.8
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
SugarHouse Sportsbook
Review / 4.2
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
FanDuel Sportsbook
Review / 4.8
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
PointsBet
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
PointsBet Sportsbook
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
BetRivers Sportsbook
Review / 4.2
BET NOW
T&Cs ApplyOnly 1x Wager Applies
3
FOX Bet Sportsbook
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
PointsBet
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
FanDuel Sportsbook
Review / 4.8
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
PointsBet Sportsbook
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
SI Sportsbook
Review / 4.1
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
PointsBet
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
PointsBet Sportsbook Illinois
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
SI Sportsbook
Review / 4.1
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
PointsBet
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
PointsBet
Review / 4.3
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
BetMGM Sportsbook
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
WynnBET Sportsbook
Review / 4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Caesars Sportsbook
Review / 4.4
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
Betfred Sportsbook
Review / 3.8
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
Bet99 Sportsbook
Review / 4.7
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Sports Interaction Ontario
Review / 4.2
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
bet365 Sportsbook Ontario
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
Bet99 Sportsbook
Review / 4.7
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
Sports Interaction Ontario
Review / 4.2
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
3
bet365 Sportsbook Ontario
Review / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
1
Monkey Knife Fight
Rating / 4.5
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.
2
PrizePicks
Rating / 4.2
BET NOW
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

State Sports Betting Guides

Downtown Detroit at twilight (Shutterstock)

Michigan Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
May 19, 2022

VA captial

Virginia Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonus Offers

by Brett Smiley
March 21, 2021

nj flag

New Jersey Sports Betting — Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
March 22, 2022

pa online sportsbooks

Pennsylvania Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonuses

by Brett Smiley
March 18, 2022

Most Read Stories

mattress mack betting charade

Will Everyone Please Stop Calling ‘Mattress Mack’ A Sports Bettor?

April 27, 2022
Photo: Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY

Dave Portnoy Says, ‘F**k That Guy,’ To Which Bettor And Gambling Twitter Seriously Object

May 16, 2022
map-missouri

Missouri Sports Betting Bill Draws Debate, Backlash In Senate

May 5, 2022
golden-gate-bridge-san-francisco

California Tribes Won’t Try For Mobile Proposal On 2022 Ballot

May 10, 2022

Canada Sports Betting Guides

Canada Sports Betting – Legality, Launch Dates, And FAQ

British Columbia Sports Betting – Legal Update, Available Sportsbooks, and FAQ

Ontario Sports Betting – Legal Status And Where To Play

gambling therapy
ncpg
igaming ontario
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA/MI), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN).
19+. Please play responsibly. Terms and conditions apply. 
Individuals must be 19 years of age or older to participate in igaming in Ontario. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you, or someone you know, has a gambling problem in Ontario and wants help, please visit ConnexOntario or call their helpline at 1-866-531-2600. Operators on this website operate pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario.

Search Sports Handle

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us / Contact

No Result
View All Result
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Massachusetts
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbooks
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Guide To ‘Risk-Free’ Bets
    • Common Beginner Mistakes
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
    • Partnership Tracker
  • News

Please share your location to continue.

Check our help guide for more info.

share your location