Secure
Secure
Trusted
Trusted
VERIFIED BADGE
Verified
Flag Background

Maine Poker Laws & Gambling Bills

Written by Jennifer Newell
Last updated on
The legal statue and 4 playing cards with the Maine State Flag as the back drop.

Playing poker in the state of Maine, aside from the occasional game among friends, has long presented a bit of a challenge. That challenge was lessened dramatically by the dawn of online poker, which brought the game into the home of millions of players who otherwise might have never taken the opportunity to play for stakes.

Yes, you can play poker online in Maine. However, it’s important to note that there are currently no US-based legal options for online poker in the state. Despite this, offshore casinos and poker sites remain available as alternative avenues for poker enthusiasts in Maine to enjoy the game online. When choosing offshore platforms, it’s essential to select reputable and licensed sites to ensure a secure and enjoyable poker experience.

Playing online poker in Maine is as easy as creating an account, making a deposit and choosing a table.  The whole thing takes less than five minutes at the major sites. You can usually deposit right there with a credit card. There are literally dozens of sites welcome Maine poker players – including all of the rooms on our real money poker page.

Top Sites for Online Poker in Maine

No Operators Found


Online poker mirrors friendly games, but players must understand Maine’s laws and regulations. Learn more here.

Maine Gambling & Poker Laws Summarized

Type/CodeSummary
State Code Section(s)4.141-278; 4.501-739; 14.90; 27
Definition of Gambling & PlayerGambling: The intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit. Gambling has long been recognized as a crime in the state of Louisiana and despite the enactment of many legalized gaming activities remains a crime.Gambling by computer: The intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting as a business of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit when accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any server. Gambling which occurs via the Internet embodies the very activity that the legislature seeks to prevent.
Online Poker/GamblingA bill was introduced in the Louisiana legislature in 2018 to address the legalization of online poker and casino games. It would have allowed each parish in the state to vote on legalizing online gaming. The bill did not pass but will likely be discussed again in 2019.
Live PokerThere are poker rooms offering cash games and tournaments in most of the major riverboat and Native American casinos, as well as some of the racinos (race tracks with casino games).
CasinosThere are Indian-run casinos per the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, riverboat-type casinos, and horse tracks converted into racinos. There are more than two dozen open in 2018.
Sports BettingThere is a bill under consideration in 2018 to legalize sports betting per the US Supreme Court decision to overturn PASPA.
DFSA bill to legalize daily fantasy sports was bundled with other type of online gaming in 2018 and did not pass.
Other Forms of GamblingHorse and dog racing, pari-mutuel betting, charitable gambling, lottery, bingo and keno, social gambling, slot machines at racetracks.

Online Poker in Maine

You’re looking for an online poker site.  What do you want?  You want fair games, your money to be secure, depositing to be easy and bonuses to be high-value.  However, it’s not always easy to tell at first glance which online poker sites offer these qualities.  That’s where our list of the best Maine online poker sites comes into play.  It takes all that and more into account when determining which poker rooms are the best for players from Maine.

Is Online Poker Legal in Maine?

The legality of online poker is an open question in nearly every US state, and Maine is no exception. 
Maine’s gambling laws lag behind modern development, lacking specific regulations for online poker rooms. To aid poker players in their legal research, here are a few key parts of Maine statutes concerning gambling and poker:

The definition of gambling found in Maine law is a standard one.  Gambling is when you risk “something of value” on a “contest of chance” or an event that isn’t under your “control or influence” (Section 952(4)).

Unlike some other states, Maine law specifically spells out what a “contest of chance” is.  There must be something staked or risked, the rules of the contest involve an element “determined by chance” and chance must play a role in the outcome of the game that can’t be “eliminated through the application of skill” (Section 952(3)).

In case you were wondering, the shuffle of the deck in a game of poker qualifies as such an element per Maine law.  Section 952(C) offers a list of events that qualify, which “includes but is not limited to a shuffle of a deck or decks of cards, a roll of a die or dice or a random drawing or generation of an object or objects that may include, but are not limited to, a card or cards, a die or dice, a number or numbers or simulations of any of these.”  In fact, the shuffle of a virtual deck of cards is clearly covered by the definition as well.

There are no obvious penalties for players under Maine law.  You can run into trouble if you engage in some forms of underage gambling. But mere participation in an illegal gambling activity doesn’t seem to risk criminal exposure.

The core anti-gambling charge in Maine law is “unlawful gambling” (Section 954 (1-A)), targeting individuals who “advance or profit” from illegal gambling.  It should be noted that the definition of advancing gambling activity found in Maine law (Section 952(1)) is very broad and could potentially include just about anyone involved with the activity in any role (promotional, support, financing) besides that of player.

The complete Maine statutes are available below.  We’ve highlighted vital information for online poker players, but knowing state gambling law overall is advisable. Always remember to contact a lawyer for anything other than a casual inquiry into the law.

Will Maine Regulate Online Poker?

Among the states likely to follow national momentum for online gambling regulation, Maine takes a prominent position. Maine hasn’t been immune from the budget crunch facing other US states and there appears to be little built-in opposition to online gambling expansion.  If online gambling catches on nationally, then expect Maine to ride that trend. If progress stalls at the national level, so will the state’s chances of regulating online poker.

Maine Gambling Facts

Gambling played a part in the early days of Maine, along with just about every New England state.  Maine’s modern gambling industry evolved over decades from lottery and raffle-style games, progressing in fits and starts.  Maine green lit a state lottery in 1973, but major gambling expansion didn’t occur until over 30 years later. In 2004, Maine voters approved a proposal to permit slots at racetracks in the state.

Regulated Gambling Options in Maine

The one thing you couldn’t find in Maine until recently: Casinos. 
In 2011, Maine’s regulated gambling didn’t cover commercial casinos or tribal options, but included state lottery and charitable gambling. A 2012 addition to the state’s landscape – the Oxford Casino – brought Maine into the ranks of states offering commercial casinos.

Does Maine Offer any Regulated Online Gambling?

At the time of this article, a survey revealed that the State of Maine does not directly regulate any online gambling options. As noted in our above analysis, Maine could easily switch course and regulate a variety of online gambling activity in a relatively small time frame, but in the status quo poker players from Maine must rely on sites licensed by international jurisdictions.

Maine Gambling Resources

Gambling Control Board. The definitive resource for issues of gambling law and regulation in the state of Maine.  In addition to other features, Maine offers live streaming of GCB meetings when the board is in session.

UNLV Gaming Research: Maine. Comprehensive but concise overview of the regulated gambling industry in Maine.  Includes timeline, basic financials and a quick survey of gambling revenue sharing arrangements.

Maine State Lottery. Official home for the Maine State Lottery.  Learn more about the history and finances of the oldest regulated gambling activity in Maine.

All Poker and Gambling Laws by State

Maine in the News

Jennifer Newell

Jennifer Newell

Editor in Chief
View All Posts By Jennifer Newell

Jennifer Newell is the Editor in Chief at LegalUsPokerSites. Jennifer Newell has nearly two decades of experience in the iGaming industry. She is a respected poker media member, contributing to publications like US Today, Playfecta, Cardplayer Lifestyle, and PokerScout. Her knowledge spans gambling legislation and the broader online gaming world. She has spent years advocating for diversity, most notably gender equity in the traditionally male-dominated poker sphere.

Sources & Citations For This Article on Maine Online Poker

Comments

search

Featured Blogs