Maine launched mobile sports betting in November 2023 with a model unlike almost any other state: the four Wabanaki Nations hold exclusive rights to online wagering. That means a deliberately small market — just two apps — but a steady and growing one. This guide explains how Maine’s tribal-led system works, what’s legal and how to get started.
Is online gambling legal in Maine?
Yes. Maine legalized mobile sports betting under LD 585 (2022), which granted the state’s four federally recognized Wabanaki Nations exclusive online wagering rights, and the market launched on 3 November 2023, regulated by the Maine Gambling Control Unit. The tribes partner with two technology platforms — DraftKings and Caesars — which are the only legal mobile sportsbooks in the state. You must be 21 or older and physically located in Maine to bet, confirmed by geolocation. Real-money online casino is not legal in Maine.
What you can play in Maine
- Sportsbooks: mobile betting from the two tribal-licensed operators.
- Daily fantasy sports: legal in Maine through DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
- Horse racing: pari-mutuel wagering for Maine bettors through licensed ADW apps.
- Online casino: not yet legal in Maine — see the outlook below.
Online gambling in Maine by the numbers
| Metric | Latest figure |
|---|---|
| Launched | 3 November 2023 |
| Tax rate | 10% of revenue |
| Monthly handle | Roughly $60–65 million |
| Operators | 2 (DraftKings, Caesars) |
| Online casino | Not legal |
| Minimum age | 21+ |
A tribal-exclusive market
Maine’s defining feature is who controls it. Under LD 585, the four Wabanaki Nations — the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi’kmaq Nation — were granted exclusive rights to operate online sports betting, a deliberate economic-development measure. Each tribe partners with a national technology provider, which is why Maine’s entire mobile market runs through just two brands: DraftKings and Caesars. The state taxes operator revenue at a modest 10%.
It’s a small but healthy market: Maine handles roughly $60–65 million a month, more than its tiny New England neighbours, and tax receipts land right around the 10% level. The trade-off of the exclusive model is limited choice — there’s no broad field of competing apps — but the two operators are established national brands with full feature sets. Maine allows betting on college sports, with standard responsible-gambling protections built into both apps.
In the small-state Northeast, Maine actually leads on volume: its roughly $60–65 million in monthly handle outpaces both Vermont and Delaware, even though its 10% tax means the state keeps a smaller share of each dollar than Vermont’s revenue-share model does. The tribal-exclusive structure was designed as much for economic development as for gambling revenue — channelling a new industry to the Wabanaki Nations — which is part of why Maine’s market looks so different from the open, multi-operator states to its south.
Sportsbooks available in Maine
Maine’s tribal-exclusive model means only two mobile sportsbooks operate in the state: DraftKings and Caesars. We don’t currently partner with either, so you won’t find our offers on this page — we only feature operators we work with and can verify. This guide is here to explain how Maine’s market works; if you bet in Maine, those two licensed apps are your legal options.
For more, see our Maine sportsbook guide and promo codes page.
Popular bets and Maine sports
Maine has no major pro franchise, so the state leans heavily on nearby Boston teams — the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox — while the UMaine Black Bears carry the college flag (hockey especially). Standard Maine markets — moneylines, spreads, totals and parlays/same-game parlays — are all available through the two licensed apps. The NFL drives the most handle.
A practical note for Maine bettors: because the market runs entirely through the Wabanaki Nations’ two partners, there’s none of the broad price-shopping across a dozen books you’d find in an open market. The upside is that DraftKings and Caesars are both mature national apps, so the core betting experience — live odds, same-game parlays, cash-out — is on par with much larger states. Every legal bet is placed on a phone; there are no retail sportsbooks in Maine. Set a deposit limit before you start, and use each app’s responsible-gambling tools.
Bet types explained
The betting menu in Maine comes down to essentials. Start with the Maine moneyline, a clean pick of who wins — the Black Bears to take it. Add the point spread, which handicaps the favorite, and the total, a bet on combined scoring rather than the Maine winner. For bigger swings, Maine bettors use parlays (several legs, all must win), same-game parlays from a single the Black Bears matchup, futures on the season, and live in-play markets that track the Black Bears in real time.
Choosing a Maine sportsbook
With only two licensed apps, the decision comes down to DraftKings versus Caesars: DraftKings is strong on same-game parlays and its app, while Caesars leans on its rewards program and odds boosts. Both are established national brands with full feature sets. Whichever you choose, look at the welcome offer, market depth and withdrawal speed.
How to start betting in Maine
Signing up in Maine is quick — be 21+ and inside Maine, pick a licensed Maine sportsbook, and create an account with accurate information for verification. After opting into the Maine promo and depositing, set your limits, place your first Maine bet, and cash out whenever the offer’s Maine conditions are satisfied.
Will Maine legalize online casino?
Not yet. Maine has no online-casino law, though the tribal-exclusive framework that brought sports betting could shape any future iGaming debate. For now, sports betting, DFS and horse racing are the only legal online options — stick to the two licensed apps rather than offshore sites. We’ll keep this Maine page updated if that changes.
For the full picture, see our Maine online casino guide, which tracks whether and when real-money iGaming might reach Maine.
Is online gambling safe in Maine?
Yes, provided you use the two operators licensed through the Maine Gambling Control Unit and the Wabanaki Nations — DraftKings and Caesars. Licensed apps are audited for fair odds and prompt payouts, protect deposits, and verify identity, age and location before each bet — the safeguards Maine bettors would gain from a regulated market. Any other “Maine” sportsbook is an unregulated offshore site, so stick to the two licensed apps.
Responsible gambling in Maine
Keep Maine betting in proportion: it is entertainment in Maine, and your stake should be money you can afford to lose. Use the limit, time-out and self-exclusion controls every licensed Maine app provides, and set them up front rather than mid-streak. Help for Maine bettors is free and confidential 24/7 on 1-800-GAMBLER.
Maine sports betting FAQ
1. Is online sports betting legal in Maine?
Yes. Mobile sports betting launched on 3 November 2023, regulated by the Maine Gambling Control Unit. The four Wabanaki Nations hold exclusive rights, operating through DraftKings and Caesars. You must be 21+ and physically inside Maine.
2. How many sportsbooks does Maine have?
Two: DraftKings and Caesars. Maine’s market is exclusive to the Wabanaki Nations, who partner with those two national platforms.
3. Is online casino legal in Maine?
No. Real-money online casino games are not legal in Maine — only sports betting, DFS and horse racing.
4. Why does Maine have only two sportsbooks?
Because a 2022 law granted the four Wabanaki Nations exclusive online sports betting rights as an economic-development measure. Each partners with a technology provider, producing a two-operator market.
5. Does american.bet have Maine offers?
No. We only feature operators we work with and can verify, and we don’t currently partner with Maine’s two licensed books. This page explains how the Maine market works rather than promoting offers.
6. Are prediction markets like Kalshi legal in Maine?
Prediction markets such as Kalshi are open to Maine residents because they count as federal financial contracts rather than Maine sports betting. That keeps them national even where Maine limits books, but it is genuinely unresolved — courts backed Kalshi against state regulators in 2026 and appeals continue. Maine players should see them as a different, CFTC-governed product.
7. Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Maine?
Sweepstakes casinos like Chumba, LuckyLand and Stake.us reach Maine adults through a virtual-currency model designed to sit outside Maine gambling licensing. That leaves Maine players in a grey area with weaker safeguards than a regulated site, one regulators keep testing — so use them cautiously in Maine.
8. Is daily fantasy sports (DFS) legal in Maine?
Yes — daily fantasy sports operate in Maine as a contest-based activity separate from Maine sportsbook wagering. DraftKings and FanDuel lead the Maine field, joined by pick’em apps PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
9. Can I bet on horse racing online in Maine?
Yes — Maine bettors can wager on horse racing via regulated ADW platforms like TVG (FanDuel Racing), TwinSpires and AmWager, a separate product from Maine sports betting.
10. Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Maine?
Help in Maine is free, confidential and available 24/7 — call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or use the deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion tools in every licensed Maine app. Nobody in Maine has to be in crisis to reach out.
21+. Must be physically located in Maine. Gambling problem in Maine? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.