WOYALE.
What's legal
Maine's sports wagering law, Title 8 chapter 35, passed in 2021 and lets licensed operators take bets on sports events. Betting went live on November 3, 2023. Persons under 21 are barred from placing a wager, whether in person or on a phone. You must be physically in Maine when you bet on an app.
Mobile licenses can go only to federally recognized tribes in Maine, one license per tribe, and each tribe may work with a single management services company. The Gambling Control Unit's current operator list shows DraftKings and Caesars Sports Book for mobile, plus Oxford Casino-Hotel & Sports Book for in-person betting. Facility licenses are open to casinos, commercial tracks outside Bangor and licensed off-track betting facilities.
Crypto and offshore sites
The licensed apps fund accounts with cards, bank transfers and similar methods. We found no Maine rule that allows crypto deposits, and neither licensed app takes them. If you hold crypto, you would normally sell it for dollars first, and that sale can be taxable on its own.
Because only the tribal mobile licensees may take online sports bets, any other online sportsbook is unlicensed in Maine. Offshore crypto sportsbooks are not licensed in any US state, so using one means no state regulator stands behind your balance or your payout. The statute also says a person may not carry on any activity that needs a license under the chapter without holding one.
What's changing
Governor Janet Mills signed LD 2007, An Act Regarding the Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games, on April 6, 2026. It targets dual-currency sweepstakes casinos and allows fines of $10,000 to $100,000 for operating or promoting them, according to news reports. The bill was not an emergency measure, so it takes effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns. It does not change who may take sports bets.
The operator list also shows the Gambling Control Unit approving updated sports wagering catalogs in 2026, which set the events and bet types each operator may offer.
Tax on winnings
Maine taxes gambling winnings as ordinary income at its graduated rates, which run from 5.8 to 7.15 percent for 2026, on top of federal tax. Keep records of wins and losses and ask a tax professional about your own return.
Common questions
Is crypto sports betting legal in Maine?
Betting through Maine's licensed apps is legal, but they do not take crypto. Offshore crypto sportsbooks are unlicensed in Maine.
Why are there only two sportsbook apps in Maine?
State law reserves mobile sports betting licenses for the federally recognized tribes, one license each, and each tribe may use just one management services partner.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Maine?
No. A law signed on April 6, 2026 bans the dual-currency model.