Maine releases sports betting licensing rules ahead of potential 2024 launch

The Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU) has published proposed rules for the licensing of retail and mobile sportsbook operators in the Pine Tree State.

According to the 52-page document, released on Wednesday, prospective operators will be required to provide full company details, including the names of any and all shareholders and directors, as part of their application.

Individual company officers will also be required to submit applications to work in the state.

State and federal tax returns will also be required plus a list of all licenses obtained in other US states, as well as the payment of application fees amounting to $5,000 for a retail operator, rising to $10,000 for a mobile application.

Initial license fees start at $4,000 for a retail-facility license, $40,000 for both management services licenses and supplier licenses, and $250 for an occupational license. Mobile operators would be required to pay a license fee of $200,000, according to the guidelines.

While the application review process is ongoing, operators will be issued with temporary permits, valid for one year, allowing them to operate in the state.

Each full license will run for a four-year period and must be renewed within 60 days of the original license expiry date. All platforms are likewise required to be tested and certified by a state-chosen testing entity.

In respect of mobile operators specifically, sportsbooks are only allowed to take bets from those “affirmatively located” and physically present in the state, with all operators obliged to display rules on their respective website. Geolocation software must be utilized by any firm operating in the state.

In addition, each and every operator must provide a copy of their individual responsible gambling strategy as part of their corresponding application, as well as links to problem gambling treatment helplines on their website.

It is understood the state plans to launch sometime in 2023 or potentially in early 2024.

Maine, the most northeastern state in the US, has a population of 1.3 million, and legalized sports betting on May 2, 2022.

Under state laws, online betting is authorized via four tribal casino operators, with retail sports betting taking place through 10 land-based facilities including commercial casinos, off-track bookies and racetracks.

Operators are barred from accepting bets on in-state collegiate teams, with all betting taxed at a rate of 10% of gross gaming revenue (GGR).