Maine Casinos Online

With sports wagering and dog racing being the only two types of gambling that are strictly illegal in the northeast pine tree state Maine is considered to be quite a liberal province for risk-takers. If you love slot machines, video pokers and table games as much as we do it is, however, far from the best region in America. There are only two land based casinos in Maine and state propositions suggesting more to be built have so far been met with a negative response.

Unless you’re looking for an authentic gambling experience this doesn’t matter much though. Thanks to the internet and a blooming casino industry one can find a heap of Maine friendly casinos online that are welcoming residents of the pine tree state. Most of these are legitimately licensed in jurisdictions outside of America such as Curacao and Kahnawake.

As the experience at these off-shore casinos can vary widely from one to another we have devoured the net to gather the safest, most popular and most satisfying ones – in other words the best.

Best online casinos in Maine listed and reviewed

For your convenience we have listed below what we consider to be some of the best casinos that Maine residing gamblers can play at online. Our recommendations of these sites are based on several important factors such as security, game selection, customer service, bonus offers, withdrawal times and payment methods. They are all doing a fantastic job with this, assuring that you get a world class casino experience.

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How do I gamble at Maine casinos online?

Gambling over the internet is super simple and convenient. You probably don’t need any instructions for it. But just to cover all of the basics and things that are good to know about we have created a brief step-by-step guide below.

1. Choose one of our listed sites to gamble at
   It doesn’t really matter which of these you go for as they are all great choices. They do have some minor differences though so if you’re looking for anything in particular such as combining casino games with poker or sports betting you may want to have a closer look at them. But in general all of the best Maine casinos recommended by us will provide you with a more than satisfying experience.
2. Sign up and create an account with the casino
   While many casino games can be played for free without the need of any account you have to create a personal one if you would like to wager real money on slots and other products. This is easily done by clicking the sign up button at the casino site and entering some personal details about yourself.
   
   At the vast majority of Maine friendly online casinos the minimum age requirement is set to 18. It may, however, be that you come across some sites that require you to be 21 as well.   
3. Ask yourself if you want a welcome bonus or not
   More or less all gambling operators offer a special bonus to new players that are making their first deposit. This will usually match your deposited amount with an extra bonus sum. It may for instance be that you deposit $100 and receive another $100 if you decide to use the bonus.
   
   In our opinion it’s always a great idea taking part of promotional offers as these will increase your long term chances of winning. It is, however, important to know that all bonuses come with certain terms and conditions. Don’t miss out on reading these through as they contain valuable information.
   
   When it comes to activating the welcome bonus this is usually done at the cashier when you’re making your first deposit. It may be though that it has to be activated before or after as well. This is one of many things that are stated in the terms and conditions.
4. Fund your account by making a deposit
   Depositing money to your casino account is as easy as any other online purchase. At the cashier of the site you’ll find several different payment options such as Amex, Visa, Mastercard and Bitcoins. The minimum amount you can deposit is usually set to $10. While Bitcoin transactions are always free from charges it may be that other payment methods come with a smaller fee.
5. Enjoy a wide range of gambling products
   With most transactions being instant you are usually good to go as soon as your deposit is confirmed. In other words ready for the thrilling fun to begin. At all of the best casinos in Maine that we have recommended for online gambling you’ll come across a wide selection of games. This includes hundreds of varying slot machines, video pokers, table games and kenos. Not to mention that roulette and blackjack can be played against real dealers in a live environment.
6. Secure your winnings by cashing out
   Hopefully lady luck is present while you’re enjoying yourself in the casino. If so it may be a good idea to cash out a portion of your winnings. This is easily done by heading to the same cashier that you made your deposit in. The minimum withdrawal amount is normally set to $10 or $20, but with some alternatives like check it may be as high as $100. Sometimes this may also be the only good option.
7. Have your account verified
   While making the withdrawal is easy as pie the casino won’t process it and send your money until your identity has been verified. This is a security procedure that is standard at all casinos no matter if they are physically based or exist online. What you have to do is to provide the gambling site with a photo copy of a valid ID. Once done and once approved your money will be sent to you. For future withdrawals it will be a smoother ride as this verification won’t be required again.
8. Need help with anything?
   Whether you’re encountering technical difficulties, would like to know how a certain game is played or have anything else on your mind a professional customer service always got your back. With all of the Maine friendly online casinos listed by us you can easily get any help you need by reaching the support through live chat, phone or e-mail. They are available 24/7.

Is it legal to play casino online in Maine?

The legal status of playing online casino in Maine is the same as in a heap of other states. Gambling over the internet is not specified in the law and is therefore a bit of a gray area.

Most would agree when we say that it’s totally safe for you to gamble at any of the best Maine casinos that we have recommended on top of the page. However, for the sake of information one should know that the law does state the following:

 “Illegal gambling machine means any machine, including electronic devices, however operated used to advance gambling activity.”

When this segment was introduced it probably wasn’t supposed to target online gamblers, but the question is if the wording in it could potentially be used against us internet players as well. There’s a small risk that it could. Speculating in this is a waste of time and energy though.

The fact of the matter is that no one has ever faced any legal action for playing casino online in Maine. The state isn’t really interested in chasing down single individuals. It would be way too costly for them. What they want to avoid is having casino sites operate within the state.

What type of gambling is legal in Maine?

While it seems unlikely that we’ll see any state regulated Maine casinos online anytime soon, the pine tree state is generally quite liberal towards gambling. Lotteries conducted by the state; charitable and social gambling; horse race betting and casino games offered within licensed facilities are all legal.

State lottery

The state lottery of Maine has been running since 1984 and has since then generated $5.8 billion in sales revenues. A bunch of different lotteries are offered such as Lotto America, Mega Millions and Powerball. Taking part of these comes with an age requirement of 18.

Casino at land based venues

If you’re at least 21 years of age you can visit one of two land based casinos in Maine. These are huge venues that are open around the clock, offering about a thousand different games to play. Included among these games are poker, bingo, keno, table games, slot machines and video pokers.

Charitable gambling

As charitable gambling is legal in Maine the pine tree state is home to a couple of bingo halls that anyone who has turned 18 can visit. To run a hall like this a specific license needs to be obtained from the chief of the state police.

Horse race betting

Going back to the 17^th century horses were a huge part of the province. Ever since horse racing has been a popular past-time in Maine. It’s the only type of gaming that has never been illegal in the state. Today several racetracks are available with betting offered to anyone 18 or older.

Social gambling

To put it briefly the definition of social gambling is a small group of friends or family members getting together to wager money on any type of game without any host benefiting from it. This does for instance mean that setting up a home game of poker in Maine is perfectly fine as long as there is no rake being charged or any other fees.

It’s actually possible to set up poker tournaments with up to 300 people as well. For this there are some rules that have to be followed though. Just to mention two of them the maximum buy in must be capped at $100 and a non-profit organization must also be a sponsor of the tournament.

A brief look at the history of gambling in Maine

1800s: Several lotteries are running as a way for the government to fund churches, schools and other public buildings. They are not regulated though which is fueling corruption.

1820: In an effort to cleanse the state from corrupt lotteries all types of gaming except for horse racing is illegalized.

1935: Pari-mutuel betting at racetracks becomes legal.

1973: A state run lottery is approved after more than 80% of voters voted in favor of it. This year also saw the opening of a tribal bingo hall.

1984: Over a decade after the state lottery was approved the first tickets are being sold.

1988: This year introduces the federal law known as Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). It allows Native American groups to negotiate with their provinces to offer casino gambling on their lands. Unlike many other states Main has upon till today not been keen on this idea though and has therefore not approved any tribal casinos.

1993: Greyhound racing is illegalized.

2000: A bill is introduced to allow slot machines and video pokers in the state, but is turned down.

2003: Casino games are once again up for discussion and this time slots and video pokers become legal. The can now be offered by racetracks.

2004: By this time the state lottery has expanded to include the nationwide Powerball.

2010: The state of Maine approves of two commercial casinos to be built, which are allowed to offer class III games such as slots and table games.

2012: The first casino in Maine opens up – the Oxford Casino. By this time the state lottery has also expanded to include even more lotteries such as Mega Millions, Hot Lotto and Lucky for Life.

2014: Tribal casinos are up for discussion but the bill that was introduced eventually fails.

2017: Daily fantasy sports are legalized after a bill introduced in 2016 is signed for.

Land based casinos in Maine

Should it be that you for some reason aren’t interested in gambling online at any of the best Maine casinos listed by us you do have two great alternatives. The pine tree state is home to the following two venues that are huge ones with an enormous selection of gambling products:

FAQ about gambling and casinos in Maine

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