Maine Casinos Post $15 Million in Revenue for July, As Online Casino Bill Stalls
Maine’s regulated commercial casino sector reported total revenue of $15 million for July, up from $14.8 million posted the previous year, representing a 1.5% year-on-year increase.
The latest figures, published by the state’s gambling regulator, the Gambling Control Unit, also reflect a 9.8% rise from June’s revenue of $13.7 million.
Oxford Casino continues to lead the state in revenue, earning $9.1 million in July, accounting for a 60.7% market share. This represents a 1.1% increase compared with the same month last year. Hollywood Casino in Bangor is narrowing the gap, reporting $5.9 million in revenue, up 2.1% year-on-year.
Slot machines remain the dominant source of income for both venues. Total slot revenue hit $12.7 million, representing 84.7% of the overall number, up 1.9% from the $12.5 million collected from slots last July.
Table games, on the other hand, reported a 0.8% decline, dropping from $2.32 million to $2.3 million year-on-year.
The figures suggest steady growth in Maine’s commercial gaming sector, driven by both venues, while highlighting the continued importance of slot gaming as the primary revenue contributor.
Maine online casino decision pushed
While other states, like Ohio, continue to discuss the legalization of online casinos, Maine residents who want to play real-money online casinos legally will now need to wait until 2026 at least, after Gov. Janet Mills took no action on an iGaming bill that cleared the legislature in June.
The legislation would have granted exclusive online casino rights to Maine’s four federally recognized tribes: the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Maliseet Nation, and Mi’kmaq Nation. Each tribe would receive a single license and could collaborate with commercial operators, potentially extending existing partnerships with DraftKings and Caesars Entertainment from sports betting into full-scale iGaming.
The bill set an 18% tax rate on tribal iGaming revenue.
Initially introduced in April, LD 1164 passed during a special legislative session in June and reached the governor’s desk on June 25 after a brief delay in the Senate Special Appropriations Committee.
Gov. Mills has consistently opposed gambling expansion, having vetoed a sports betting measure in 2020 and a tribal retail casino proposal in 2021. During hearings, her administration, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and Maine Gambling Control Board Chair Steve Silver expressed concerns over potential gambling addiction and the risk to retail casino jobs.
Under Maine law, when the legislature is not in session, a governor who fails to act within 10 days effectively issues a ‘pocket veto.’ Mills’ deadline for LD 1164 passed on July 7, killing the bill for 2025. The measure will, however, roll over to the 2026 session.
Currently, gambling in Maine is limited to the state’s two commercial casinos and online sports betting operated by the four federally recognized tribes.
