For a long time, Maine had very strict laws for gambling in the state.
This changed in the early 2000s when slot games were permitted to be on racino floors, and a new casino opened its doors.
Residents in ME have access to pari-mutuel betting, the state lottery, charitable bingo, poker, and land-based casino gambling.
Online gambling is not legal with the exception of Daily Fantasy Sports.
We take a look at the current gambling laws, where to play, and the future of casinos in the Pine Tree State in our guide.
Online Casinos in Maine
Maine does not currently offer any forms of legal online gambling. The state is close to legalizing sportsbooks, but there is no plan to regulate online casinos or poker any time soon.
The current laws in Maine do say that casinos would be penalized for trying to operate online however, there is no law stopping people from virtual gaming.
This means you don’t necessarily have to worry about doing jail time for playing an online poker game at home.
Maine has two land-based casinos which are regulated by the State of Maine Gambling Control Board. Should online casinos ever become legal, the Board would monitor both online and land-based activity.
Land-Based Casinos in Maine
There are only two casinos in Maine that also operate as racetracks.
Unless otherwise noted, all Maine casinos offer slots, video poker, video keno, craps, blackjack, roulette, and three-card poker.
Optional games include let it ride, mini-baccarat, Big-6 wheel, Spanish 21, ultimate Texas Hold‘em, Mississippi stud, and Poker.
Types of Casinos in Maine
There are two casinos in Maine: Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino.
Both of these ME casinos offer electronic gaming machines, as well as live table games and horse racing.
State gaming regulations require a minimum return of 89% on all machines at Maine casinos. The payback percentages on electronic gaming machines at all casinos in Maine are released as a matter of public record. Just click here to see a list of slot machine payback statistics for all Maine casinos.
Pari-Mutuel Betting
Maine has two racetracks that offer pari-mutuel betting on horse races.
- Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway in Bangor
- Scarborough Downs in Scarborough
Hollywood Casino was the first to offer slot machines in ME as soon as horse race tracks were given the green light.
There are also venues where off-track betting is permitted in the state.
Indian Gaming
There is only one Tribal bingo hall in Maine, belonging to the Penobscot/Panawahpskeks.
List of Land-Based Casinos in Maine
Click on any of the following casinos listed below to learn more about the venue.
Hollywood Casino Bangor
Everywhere you turn, there’s nonstop excitement and thrills like you’ve never experienced before. 1000 Vegas-style slots, high-limit tables, and more await you.
- Address: 500 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401
- Phone: +1 877-779-7771
- Website: https://www.hollywoodcasinobangor.com/
Oxford Casino
Oxford Casino Hotel & Event Center in Maine, 40 minutes from Portland, features a hotel, table gaming, slots, restaurants, and the greatest craft beers in New England.
- Address:777 Casino Way, Oxford, ME 04270
- Phone: +1 207-539-6700
- Website: http://www.oxfordcasino.com/
Maine Land-Based Casinos Map
You can easily see all casino locations by using our Maine casinos map. To zoom in, just click the + (plus) sign in the lower right corner of the map, or to zoom out, just click the – (minus) sign in the same area.
To move the map of casinos in Maine, click and hold down either of your mouse buttons. Then use the hand icon to drag the map in whichever direction you desire.
Each of the red icons on the map is a casino location. Just click on any red icon to see the name of the casino at that location. If you want more information on that casino, simply click again on the casino’s name and it will direct you to another page with detailed information on that particular casino, including address, phone number, toll-free phone number, room rates, casino size, dining information, games offered, availability of discounts for seniors, any special features, and a direct link to that casino’s website.
History Of Gambling In Maine
All forms of gambling were first outlawed in Maine in the 1820s.
It wasn’t until the 1950s when Scarborough Downs started operating the first horse racing track in the state, that the laws around gambling started to relax a bit.
In 1973, the Penobscot/Panawahpskeks tribe opened the first bingo hall in ME.
The state lottery was legalized the following year.
2004 was a big year for casino gambling in ME, as the Maine Gambling Control Board announced that one casino would be permitted to open its doors.
One year later, Hollywood Casino opened, offering slot games and pari-mutuel betting.
Hollywood Casino remained the only casino facility in the state until 2010 when Oxford Casino opened.
Maine Gambling Laws and Regulatory Organizations
There are a number of legal gambling options for residents in the Pine Tree State, including:
- Slot machines and casino table games
- Native American bingo hall
- Charitable gaming
- State lottery
- Pari-mutuel betting on horse races
Online gambling is strictly prohibited and will not be offered in the state any time soon.
The minimum gambling age at all casinos in Maine is 21 for slots and 18 for pari-mutuel wagering.
The Maine Gambling Control Board
The Maine Gambling Control Board regulates all forms of gambling in the state of ME. This includes handling the licensing, and control over all gaming machines.
The Gambling Control Unit in Maine works with the Maine Gambling Control Board to regulate charitable gaming, including bingo and card games.
You can read more about the MGCB, here.
Gambling In Maine Today
Over the last few years, not much has changed for the gambling industry in Maine.
The same casinos that were open a decade ago are the same ones that operate today, and no new laws have come up to change the way operations are conducted.
Recently, a bill in favor of legalizing sports betting was brought to the state governor.
The bill did not pass as it was missing nine votes.
As far as online gambling goes in Maine, betting on horse races is the closest the state will get.
Fun Facts
Did you know?
Oxford Casino is the largest casino facility in Maine, with over 1000 game machines and 30 tables!
Useful Resources
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For more information on visiting casinos in Maine, or general tourism information, call their office of Tourism at (888) 624-6345 or visit their website at www.visitmaine.com.