Share 
Maine has enacted new laws to crack down on sweepstakes casinos and tighten regulations for traditional casinos and sportsbooks. Gov. Janet Mills signed Legislative Document 2007 on Monday, effectively banning sweepstakes casinos statewide.
On Friday, she signed Legislative Document 2080, sponsored by Rep. Marc Malon, which restricts the use of credit cards for payments to online sportsbooks and brick-and-mortar casinos.
New ban on sweepstakes casinos in Maine
Regulators in Maine sent hundreds of cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes casino operators in 2025. Sen. Craig Hickman introduced LD 2007 in December 2025 following a wave of sweepstakes casino bans across the US.
Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milton Champion testified during legislative hearings that approximately 60 sweepstakes casino operators were active in the state. These operators now face civil penalties of $100,000 and potential criminal charges if they continue Maine operations. While traditional online casinos are not yet available in the state, players can switch to alternatives such as pari-mutuel-powered games.
Maine is the second state to ban sweepstakes casinos this year, following Indiana. It joins a growing list of states with official bans on the practice, including New York, California, Michigan, and New Jersey.
Tightening regulations for online casinos and sportsbooks
Gov. Mills’ move to restrict credit card payments comes just months after the state legalized online casinos. However, it will be roughly a year before those platforms launch. Champion told lawmakers in January that the state’s online casinos could be ready by early 2027.
Churchill Downs, which operates Oxford Casino, recently sued Champion over the tribal-based online casino framework. The company claimed the state Legislature “blessed a race-based monopoly” for the state’s four Native American tribes. The tribes also hold exclusivity over the state’s online sports betting. In response, the Wabanaki tribes filed a joint motion to intervene in the case last week, arguing that the framework enhances the tribes’ economic development.
Of the state’s two online sportsbooks—DraftKings and Caesars, which launched in 2023—DraftKings already prohibits deposits via credit card. Maine is now among eight states with similar credit card restrictions, joining Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Strengthening responsible gambling guardrails
In addition to the credit card restrictions, Legislative Document 2080 seeks to promote responsible gambling and curb addiction. In a Maine.gov news release, Malon said:
“Since coming online, sports betting has become a pervasive part of American culture. Although it has been economically successful, we want to make sure that we establish reasonable safeguards so that Mainers can participate without falling prey to addiction.”
