Maine governor vetoes betting bill over problem gambling concerns
State will require strategies to tackle problem and underage gambling before passing betting legislation
Maine Governor Janet Mills has rejected the state’s latest betting bill as she remains unconvinced that Maine is ready to legalize and support the industry.
Mills said tackling issues like problem gamblers and underage gambling will need a specific approach before betting is considered in the Pine Tree State.
The bill was passed by the state’s legislature in June last year, enabling local commercial and tribal casinos, as well as a racetrack and off-track betting parlors, to provide betting services.
Online operators were also able to apply for independent licensing without having to partner with brick-and-mortar properties.
Governor Mills did not act on the legislation during last year’s session and so it was moved to 2020.
Neighboring states New Hampshire and Rhode Island passed betting laws in 2018 and 2019, with mobile live in both and retail coming to New Hampshire in Q2.
The former recorded revenues of $2.7m in November, while New Hampshire saw up to 6,000 sign-ups in its first week of launch earlier this month.
A new group has emerged recently with the intention of developing a national framework for responsible gambling in the US.
The Responsible Gambling Collaborative this week published a study estimating that six out of 14 states were properly investing taxes into responsible gambling initiatives.