Governor Janet Mills allows Wabanaki Nations to launch online casino gambling despite opposition

Maine Governor Janet Mills announced on Thursday (January 8) that she is going to let LD 1164, a bill that gives the state’s Wabanaki Nations the right to run online casino gambling, become law. The move quickly sparked strong reactions, both from tribal leaders and from the National Association Against iGaming.

The bill, officially called “An Act to Create Economic Opportunity for the Wabanaki Nations,” allows the tribes to operate online gambling platforms as a way to boost their local economies. It expands on a 2022 law that already gave them the ability to offer online sports betting.

iGaming is coming to Maine. That's according to a statement released by Gov. Janet Mills earlier today.

Based on the statement's wording, it appears she's letting it become law without her signature. pic.twitter.com/0GKMFjUlTC

— Steve Bittenbender (@BittGDCG) January 8, 2026

Mills said she reached her decision after sitting down with tribal leaders and carefully considering how the bill could affect the state.

“This fall, I met with the five elected Chiefs of the Wabanaki Nations, who each spoke passionately about the importance of this bill in offering life-changing revenue for Tribal communities, as well as providing a form of economic sovereignty for their Nations,” Mills said in a release.

“I considered this bill carefully, and while I have concerns about the impacts of gambling on public health, I believe that this new form of gambling should be regulated, and I am confident that Maine’s Gambling Control Unit will develop responsible rules and standards to hold providers of this new form of gambling accountable while ensuring that Maine’s tribes benefit from its operations.”

Tribal leaders welcomed the decision, calling it a big step toward economic self-sufficiency and more investment in their communities.

Chief William Nicholas Sr. of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township called the bill “an economic turning point for the Passamaquoddy people and for all Wabanaki Nations,” adding that “our economies are undoubtedly stronger due to positive state policy changes under Governor Mills.”

Chief Kirk Francis of the Penobscot Nation said revenues from the bill would fund “essential governmental services for our people like health, education, housing, law enforcement, social services, environmental management,” as well as “cultural and youth programs” and tribal infrastructure.

Chief Clarissa Sabattis of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians said the bill would help curb illegal gambling while creating a regulated system. “LD 1164 will create a closely regulated iGaming market with strict controls and will ensure much needed revenues remain in Maine,” she said, adding that “the State will generate tens of millions of dollars to fight opioid addiction and provide emergency services.”

Under Maine’s constitution, Mills could either veto the bill or let it become law once the Legislature wrapped up its session. Her office said LD 1164 was among 61 bills she reviewed during that period, and that “nearly all the enacted bills would become law, with only one veto.”

National Association Against iGaming condemns decision to introduce online casino bill in Maine

However, the National Association Against iGaming, a group that opposes online casino gambling, strongly criticized the decision.

Governor Janet Mills’ decision to reverse her long-standing opposition to online casino gambling and allow the #iGambling bill on her desk to become law represents a clear break from the Governor’s previously stated position and disregards overwhelming public opposition, expert… pic.twitter.com/U64fuCLspp

— NAAIG_Official (@NAAIG_Official) January 8, 2026

“The National Association Against iGaming is deeply disappointed by Governor Janet Mills’ decision to reverse her long-standing opposition to online casino gambling and allow the iGaming bill on her desk to become law,” the group said in a statement.

The group said the governor brushed aside regulators, public opinion, and Maine’s current casino system. “This decision represents a clear break from the Governor’s previously stated position and disregards overwhelming public opposition, expert warnings from her own regulators, and a proven gaming framework that has delivered meaningful benefits to Maine communities and tribal nations for more than a decade,” the statement said.

The group also said Maine’s current casino system has been a reliable source of public revenue, noting that the state’s two licensed casinos have brought in more than $500 million in taxes over the past 15 years. In its statement, the association called that record “measurable, transparent, and relied upon by communities across Maine.”

It also said Mills ignored warnings from state regulators. The association said the Gambling Control Board had urged a veto and warned that the bill would “undermine existing casinos, put jobs at risk, and destabilize a system that has reliably funded public priorities.”

The organization also described Maine as an outlier, saying the state is moving in this direction even as other states are stepping back from expanding gambling. “Maine’s action is a striking outlier at a time when states across the country are exercising increased caution,” it said.

The group also linked the governor’s decision to politics, noting that the reversal coincided with a US Senate campaign and a competitive primary challenge, which it said made the move appear to be “a political calculation rather than a policy driven by evidence or public interest.”

The association said it plans to try to block the law through a statewide referendum. “We will not accept this decision quietly, and we will ensure the people of Maine have the final say,” the group said.

According to the governor’s office, LD 1164 is set to take effect 90 days after the Legislature wraps up its next session, unless lawmakers designate it as emergency legislation.

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