Maine set to debate sports betting
The state Legislature will look into a potential sports betting legislation during this year’s session.
US.- The Supreme Court of the United States revoked PASPA and had nearly every state looking into the potential legalisation of sports betting. Maine is no exception and several bills to regulate the segment will be considered during this year’s legislative session.
Maine could become the eighth state in the nation to open the door for the segment and has a wide range of posibilities to do so. It is yet to be determined what will happen with sports betting, as the question isn’t only whether it gets legalised but also how it will be regulated.
There are a variety of proposals to regulate the segment, including some that plan to give control to casinos in Bangor and Oxford, and others that would rather give the tribes permission to operate sportsbooks. Furthermore, there’s a possibility that collegiate sports get excluded and the online segment is also under debate.
“The general idea is to establish a regulatory structure for sports betting in Maine after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling this past spring,” Christine Kirby, a spokeswoman for Senate President Troy Jackson said. “It also gives the Gambling Control Board significant authority to regulate sports betting.”
Regardless of which version of sports betting legislation gets approved, it’s clear for Maine’s authorities that there’s a need to regulate the segment in order to get its money flowing into state coffers.
Milton Champion, executive director of the Maine Gambling Control Board, has already stepped forward and offered help with drafting a proper piece of legislation.
