As Maine moves toward expanding its regulated online gambling market, lawmakers are debating whether new consumer protections should accompany that growth. A proposal initially focused on sports betting payments has renewed discussion around how players will fund wagers once online casino gaming begins.
Speaking before the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs, Rep. Marc Malon urged lawmakers to extend a proposed credit card ban to online casino gaming. Malon, the sponsor of LD 2080, warned that allowing credit cards for gambling increases the risk of debt and addiction.
“Studies confirm that allowing credit cards for online gambling and sports betting leads to increased wagering, higher rates of gambling addiction and significant financial risk as credit cards provide easy access to debt,”Malon told the committee. “While sports wagering continues to grow and as iGaming comes online, it is appropriate for the legislature to consider guardrails, which can protect consumers from falling into dangerous habits and into debt.”
Gambling Expansion Brings Policy Focus
Maine launched online sports betting in late 2023 through partnerships between Caesars, DraftKings, and the Wabanaki Nations. Earlier this month, Gov. Janet Mills allowed legislation legalizing online casino gaming to become law without her signature. The state expects regulated iGaming to begin sometime after July 2026.
Malon said he supported the iGaming legislation to ensure state oversight and benefits for tribal partners. He described the vote as “the most difficult vote I have cast so far in my tenure as a legislator”.
According to Malon, restricting credit card use would help limit financial harm without affecting gambling-related revenue.
“I believe this is a reasonable regulation which will add a modest guardrail to protect consumers while not harming the financial and economic benefits which have come from sports wagering and will come from iGaming,” he said.
Although LD 2080 currently applies only to sports betting, Malon asked the committee to amend the bill. “The draft before you only applies to sports wagering because the disposition of iGaming was unclear at the time. I do strongly, however, recommend that the committee amend this bill to apply its provisions to the new iGaming statute.”
Enforcement and Existing Limits
Malon cited a late-2024 recommendation from the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States supporting credit card bans and referenced DraftKings’ nationwide decision to stop accepting them. He argued state regulation remains necessary.
“But we should not have to rely on corporate practices to protect consumers,” Malon said, adding he plans to work with analysts and stakeholders on amendments.
States including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Illinois, Connecticut, and Tennessee already restrict credit card use for online sports betting. Virginia lawmakers have also filed similar legislation for the 2026 session.
Testifying in support of the bill, Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milton Champion noted that existing regulations already ban credit cards for casino slots and table games. Asked about enforcement challenges involving third-party payment platforms, Champion acknowledged practical limits.
“It’s very hard to,” he said. “Realistically, it’s almost impossible. This would give us the leverage to investigate those types of transactions.”
The committee will revisit the proposal during a future work session.
Source:
“Maine lawmaker urges credit card gambling ban as legal online casino arrives”, sbcamericas.com, January 21, 2026
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