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Maine Casino Sues State Over Recently Enshrined Online Casino Law
The operator of one of Maine's commercial physical gaming establishments is trying to convince a federal court to vacate the law on constitutional grounds.
The expansion of online gaming in Maine under the control of tribal authorities within the state is facing a federal court challenge brought by the proprietors of the Oxford Casino Hotel in Oxford. The lawsuit argues that the state violated the United States and Maine constitutions when it approved a law that gives tribal authorities within the state the exclusive right to offer iGaming platforms to residents and visitors.
Oxford Casino Hotel says iGaming law amounts to discrimination
According to Reuben M. Schafir and Morgan Womack of the Portland Press Herald, the federal complaint from the Oxford Casino Hotel argues that the new law contains a "race-based preference" that violates the Equal Protection Clause of both constitutions. The Oxford Casino Hotel is one of two land-based facilities in Maine offering casino-style games to bettors.
The new law represents an expansion of the current system that allows for online sports wagering in Maine under tribal auspices. Under the statute's tenets, tribal bodies could build relationships with some of the best online casino operators in the US.
There is no official timeline for when licensed platforms with online casino games for real money could launch in Maine. If this lawsuit finds some success, it could prevent that implementation or delay it.
Lawsuit could derail iGaming rollout out in Maine
The Oxford Casino Hotel's lawsuit asks the court to overturn the statute currently enabling regulators in Maine to move forward in drafting rules for the gaming vertical. A court order to that effect could stymie the development of stipulations for casino bonus codes in Maine, even if just temporarily.
The Maine Gambling Control Unit must finalize regulations before apps can be licensed, and licensure is necessary for Maine residents to be able to play the best slots to play online for real money in the state legally. This litigation could also delay agreements between iGaming operators and tribal authorities.
Tribal bodies currently have agreements for legal online sports wagering with Caesars and DraftKings. It isn't a foregone conclusion, though, that people in Maine will get access to deals like the Caesars Palace Online Casino promo code. They may also be able to play at Visa casinos depending on the final rules drafted.
An uncertain future for the current framework for legal iGaming in Maine might make operators hesitant to negotiate deals. Everyone involved in gaming in Maine will be watching this lawsuit as it moves forward.
