The Maine Legislature is considering several proposals that would expand betting on live sporting events, including the Super Bowl.Sen. Louis Luchini of Ellsworth, who co-chairs the committee that oversees gambling in Maine, says interest in allowing sports betting in the state has grown following a U.S. Supreme Court decision last summer that leaves the decision up to the states.
"There are several bill titles on the topic, so I think there’s a lot of people interested in expanding it into Maine," Luchini says. "The question will be how we do it, how we regulate it, who can have it.”
Luchini says one bill would allow the two existing state casinos to offer sports betting, while another would allow the licensing of specific gaming establishments just for sports betting.
He says his bill allows allow the Veterans and Legal Affairs committee to identify best practices, but he doubts it would generate much in the way of revenues. The state lottery and casinos combined provide the state a little over $100 million a year.
