Maine cautious about sports betting timeline launch

Maine is possibly looking to launch sports gambling this year, following in the footsteps of a number of other states that have not wasted much time to put forward their own plans for legalizing sports in their gambling industries or have launched altogether.

From Hawaii to Kentucky, lawmakers are putting together bills they hope would pass both houses and head for the governor’s office before long. The road to success is never easy, especially in holdout states that have not shown a desire to legalize gambling earlier.

Nevertheless, Maine has launched a formal process, the Associated Press reported, that will seek to establish a robust framework that governors sports gambling in the state. The good news coming from Maine is that the state has already adopted a law that allows it to see sports gambling commence. For all intents and purposes, Maine is a state where sports gambling is legal, but not yet live.

But the first wagers are actually a long way off, with officials now debating on the rules that will govern the industry. The state regulator tasked with the implementation of sports gambling, the Maine Gambling Control Unit, said that it was important to get the rules right so that the state can benefit.

This means that sports gambling in Maine is unlikely to launch before the arrival of the new National Football League season next year. Milt Champion, the executive director of the regulator, said that the rules can be introduced in the time window between April and January, without giving any more specificity.

"I know this is a hot topic. I know everybody wants it out during the Super Bowl or during March Madness. But let’s face it. It’s just not going to happen," the executive confirmed, dampening enthusiasm that through some miracle, sports gambling may arrive in the state much sooner than previously anticipated.

Arrival for the NFL 2023/2024 season would be a slightly optimistic but perhaps feasible timeline, although more details remain to be fleshed out. Another possibility is a launch in the early hours of the new year, as Ohio did in January 2023. The good news is that mobile and online sports betting will be coming to the market, which will make it possible for Maine to get the most out of this regulation.

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