The state Senate comfortably permitted a invoice that might hand a future cellular sports activities betting monopoly in Maine to the state’s 4 federally acknowledged tribes. The invoice now wends its solution to the desk of Gov. Janet Mills (D).
Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills (D) led negotiations with the tribes over sports activities betting and different sovereignty points and is predicted to signal the laws into legislation. (Picture: Bangor Day by day Information)
The laws is about way more than sports activities betting. It affords the tribes sure sovereignty positive factors, together with eradicating some state and earnings taxes inside their territories.
Three of the 4 tribes, the Passamaquoddy, the Penobscot, and the Maliseet, had been acknowledged by the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 (MICSA), by which they agreed to be regulated like cities and cities. MISCA provided a restricted model of the sovereign rights loved by many tribes primarily based in different states.
Missed Out on Gaming Rights
MISCA additionally stipulated that “Any Federal legislation enacted after this Act for the advantage of Indians shall not apply with the State of Maine until such Act is particularly made relevant inside such State.”
Meaning the tribes missed out on the gaming rights afforded to different tribes within the US by the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA). The fourth tribe, the Aroostook, gained recognition in 1991, three years too late for IGRA, which usually solely applies to tribes already acknowledged at its enactment.
Mills promised to enhance relations between the state and the tribes throughout her election marketing campaign. Nonetheless, she vetoed a sweeping sovereignty package deal that included gaming rights final 12 months, calling it “flawed.”
The compromise measures contained in the latest invoice had been negotiated between Mills and the tribes, which all however ensures her signature.
Casinos Included
The unique model of the laws would have utterly frozen out the sports activities betting market, Maine’s two industrial casinos, the Oxford On line casino and the Hollywood On line casino and Raceway in Bangor. However the casinos took umbrage and unleashed their lobbyists.
A late Home modification allowed the casinos to supply in-person betting at their properties and obtained the blessing of the tribes.
However the Penn Nationwide-owned Bangor on line casino nonetheless complained as a result of the modification would have solely permitted sports activities betting at its close by seasonal harness observe. In the meantime, the Oxford On line casino, which has no racetrack, would be capable of provide betting on the on line casino itself all 12 months spherical.
The invoice’s ultimate model, handed by the Senate Tuesday, permits for a sportsbook on the Hollywood On line casino.
The Maine Playing Management Unit estimates that 85% of all sports activities bets shall be made by way of the tribes’ cellular operations as soon as the market launches.
