Maine governor shelves online casino bill until 2026 legislative session
Legislative efforts hit a speedbump, as Janet Mills defers on signing LD 1164 until Maine lawmakers reconvene next year
Maine governor Janet Mills has not signed a bill that would legalize online casino in Pine Tree State.
LD 1164 aimed to give online casino rights to Maine’s Wabanaki Nations tribes.
As it stands the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, Mi’kmaq Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians can offer online sports betting in Maine.
But should the bill pass, the tribes would then be able to partner with a commercial operator and offer igaming.
The bill was first introduced in April 2025, only for it to be shelved until June by the Joint Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee.
Though it passed a House vote by 85-59 at the start of that month, Mills’ administration warned at the time it could face a veto if it reaches her desk.
Now, it has been pushed back even further, alongside approximately 60 other bills, with Mills opting to not sign the legislation and wait until lawmakers reconvene next year.
A statement from Mills’ office read: “The legislature passed a significant number of bills at the end of session, and the governor takes seriously her constitutional obligation to thoroughly review all of them and to evaluate their implications on Maine people, Maine businesses, and the Maine economy.
“In order to meet that responsibility, she will continue to review these bills and gather more information, and she looks forward to acting on them at the beginning of the next legislative session.”
LD 1164 faced opposition from Maine’s two brick-and-mortar casinos, Hollywood Casino in Bangor and Oxford Casino.
Other detractors have argued that the legalization of icasino would lead to an increase in gambling addiction.