Maine becomes the latest to introduce an anti-sweepstakes bill

Maine has become the latest state to introduce anti-sweepstakes legislation designed to uproot the established vertical, alleging that it taps into illegal gambling practices and breaches existing laws.

The debate has been going on for a while now, with several states venturing to ban sweepstakes in 2025 and possibly exploring the option for next year. Yet, Maine has decided to act right now, with Legislative Document No. 2007 introduced on Wednesday, December 3, seeking an outright ban on sweepstakes, sportsbooks, and casinos as soon as possible. The bill directly defines the activity and how it is illegal: a person that operates or promotes an online sweepstakes game or supports the operation or promotion of an online sweepstakes game commits a civil violation. Operators could soon face stiff penalties ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 if they fail to cooperate with the bill, should it pass. Any money collected this way would be plowed into the Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund, designed as a safeguard against gambling-related issues. Legislative Document No. 2007 directly criticizes the dual payment system that sweepstakes use and alleges that, by doing so, sweepstakes operators are in fact skirting gambling laws. According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), an outspoken critic of sweepstakes, the majority of people who participate in sweepstakes casinos do so to win real money. However, not everyone agrees.

The Social Leadership Gaming Alliance has issued a statement criticizing the proposal and reinforcing the industry’s view that bans are counterproductive and do not align with the established legal precedent for running sweepstakes in the first place. Social Plus games are a longstanding online product that tens of thousands of Maine adults currently enjoy. LD 2007 would ban this social games category entirely, stifling innovation and stripping millions of dollars of economic activity from small businesses, advertisers, and – ultimately – the state. SGLAurges the Legislature to take a more considered, long-term approach to this innovative sector and regulate, rather than senselessly ban, this popular form of free-to-play, casual entertainment, the statement read. Such appeals have fallen ondeaf ears previously, with most legislatures pushing forward with similar proposals. Bill sponsor Senator Craig Hickman has called on fellow lawmakers to vote the bill forward to close what he sees as a loophole in the state’s gambling laws.