Maine Casinos

There are three Maine racetracks that operate today, each offers live betting and an off-track race book. Two racetracks now offer slots and table games, allowing you to call them Maine casinos. One of these Maine casinos has a poker room. There is also a state lottery and charitable bingo and beano. The Penobscot Tribe has a high stakes bingo facility on its reservation.

As you can see, there is a limited number of Maine gambling options to choose from. Horse racing is the oldest form of gambling, but now that casino games have been introduced to the racetracks, they now look more like casinos.

Types of Maine Online Gambling Allowed

There are no forms of legal Maine online gambling. It is not a state that participates in mobile off-track betting.

Daily fantasy sites claim an exemption under Maine’s skill gaming laws. State officials have not published an opinion on the legality of daily fantasy sports. DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports, and Yahoo! are the major daily fantasy sports operators that accept Maine players.

Types of Live Maine Gambling

Popular Games

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: Yes
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

Racing was the original form of Maine gambling. There were once six racetracks operating in the state; there are three today. Slot machines and other casino games have helped keep two of the tracks in operation. The third track does not hold a Maine racino license. The three tracks in Maine all have off-track betting facilities. With two racetracks offering casino games they can now be considered to be the only Maine casinos within state borders.

The only other forms of gambling in Maine are charitable and state lotteries. Charities may offer bingo and beano for low stakes. The Penobscot Tribe offers higher limits on these games on their sovereign land.

The Maine Lottery sells scratch-off tickets and lotto games. The Maine Lottery offers two daily Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings. Gimme 5, Lucky for Life and Hot Lotto Sizzler are other lotto drawings offered by the state. Mega Millions, Powerball, and Megabucks are interstate drawings offered by the Maine Lottery.

Maine Gambling Laws

According to Maine gambling laws, all gaming expansion must be approved through a state constitutional amendment. Only the state of Maine may offer a lottery under the constitution and current gambling law.

Maine gambling laws regarding charities are very specific. A charity that offers bingo and beano must have existed for at least two years and a gaming license is required. The fee is $12 per week, $36 per month, or $400 per year. Charities may also opt for a $5 one-time license. Charities may hold up to 27 weekends of bingo games per year. These rules do not apply to tribal bingo operations where games may be spread at any time due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

There are three racetracks in Maine. Tracks may offer live and off-track betting. Internet and mobile sites that take bets on horse races are not legal in Maine. Neither is greyhound racing.

Two racetracks – Oxford Casino and Hollywood Casino – are permitted to operate slots, video poker, and table games. This was approved by voters, making them the only two Maine casinos currently operating. Scarborough Downs is still lobbying for its opportunity to offer casino games.

Maine racinos, as you call the mix between a casino and racetrack, can offer most typical casino games. This includes slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, Three Card Poker, Big Wheel, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Mississippi Stud, Spanish 21, and High Card Flush.

Maine has an unusual smoking ban in their gambling laws. Both of the Maine casinos do not allow smoking on the gaming floor. On the other hand, bingo halls and race books allow smoking. There are no other states with this type of smoking ban.

List of Maine Casinos

There are hundreds of lottery retailers and dozens of charitable bingo parlors in Maine. Other than those types of gambling, there are just four establishments to make a bet in Maine.

The Penobscot Tribe has a high limit bingo and beano operation that is permitted under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Penobscot Tribe does not have any Maine casino operations.

Below you can find the basic information for the Maine casinos and racetracks that offer players all of the popular casino games you could find in Nevada or New Jersey. For detailed directions, you can use our Maine casino map to guide you to the nearest location.

History of Maine Gambling

Maine has leaned on the conservative side of gambling for most of its existence. Its racing industry dates back to 1935, but it held a monopoly for nearly 40 years. A state lottery was created in 1973. The first drawing was held on June 27, 1974. The game was a $.50 weekly draw known as “Play Me” and the first $150,000 jackpot was won four months later.

Scratch-off tickets hit the Maine Lottery in 1975. In April 1985, Maine joined a multi-state lottery compact with New Hampshire and Vermont.

Charitable bingo and beano were legalized in 1975. This expanded to the Penobscot Tribe entered the high stakes bingo market under the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

After many years, as the horse racing industry started to lose momentum, Maine decided to allow casino games to be offered at two locations. These Maine racinos have been able to survive and profit thanks to this decision. Despite only having two casinos in Maine where players can bet on table games and slots, they are spread out enough that they are easily accessible.

Maine Casinos & Gambling FAQ