$37.6 million was wagered in online bets across Maine in the first month since the legalization of sportsbook betting on Nov. 3. With a 10% tax on sportsbook revenue gathered after player payouts and federal taxes, the state government netted $468,000 in state taxes.
"We were fearful of [getting] a lot of complaints [this first month] and, knock on wood, it's been quiet," said Maine Gambling Control Unit commissioner Milt Champion. "I'm really surprised and very, very thankful."
80% of wagers have been made on Draft Kings' online betting platform — the rest made on Caesars Sportsbook. The four online sportsbook licenses available in Maine are split amongst the state's four federally recognized Native American tribes. Caesars Sportsbook inked deals with three of the tribes to be their management service provider, while the Passamaquoddy partnered with Draft Kings. 50% of the gross receipts are collected by the tribes.
Champion expects Maine should collect about $6 million in state taxes for this first year of operation. He says NFL games have attracted the most action with about a quarter of all wagers occurring on Sundays.
"People bet on other things [like] maybe golf or something like that," Champion said. "But the Super Bowl and March Madness are the two key times for sports wagering, so we'll have to wait and see how they work out.
