Maine Is Launching Online Casino Gaming in July With Caesars and DraftKings as the First Licensed Operators
Maine is set to launch online casino gaming in July, with Caesars Entertainment and DraftKings holding the first licenses to operate in the state, according to Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital. Hession mentioned Maine’s iGaming launch during a recent presentation to the Nevada Society of Certified Public Accountants, citing it as one of the near-term growth opportunities for the company as it navigates the competitive pressures of prediction markets and state tax increases in other markets.
The July launch would make Maine the latest state to open a regulated online casino market, joining Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Delaware as states that permit licensed remote gambling. Maine has had retail casino operations for some years and passed legislation authorizing online gaming after a sustained lobbying effort. The addition of Caesars and DraftKings as initial operators signals that major platforms are moving quickly to establish early-mover advantages in new markets wherever opportunities arise.
Why This Launch Matters for Bettors and the Industry
For Maine residents who have been traveling online casinos and sweepstakes platforms for their gaming fix, the launch of regulated iGaming provides a licensed alternative with consumer protections, age verification, and responsible gaming tools required under state law. For operators, Maine represents an incremental revenue opportunity in a category that has consistently outperformed sports betting on a revenue-per-user basis in states where both are legal.
Caesars has been actively building its iGaming footprint and views online casino as a critical long-term revenue driver alongside its sports betting operations. DraftKings, which operates a successful online casino product in multiple states, has similarly prioritized iGaming expansion as part of its growth strategy. Having both operators licensed from the outset of Maine’s market suggests the state’s licensing process was thorough and that operators were ready to invest in launch preparation well in advance of the go-live date.
The Broader iGaming Momentum
Maine’s launch is part of a broader pattern of iGaming expansion that Hession suggested could accelerate as prediction markets grow and states look for additional gaming tax revenue. He specifically mentioned that Washington, D.C., has included iGaming in its 2027 budget, and that Alberta, Canada, is also launching online casino gaming in July alongside Maine. The parallel launches in Maine and Alberta underscore that the regulated online casino market is expanding simultaneously on both sides of the border.
For sports bettors in Maine who are already familiar with licensed sportsbooks from the state’s existing regulated sports betting market, the iGaming launch will add a new category of wagering options from brands they already recognize. DraftKings and Caesars both operate integrated apps that allow users to access sportsbook and casino products from a single account, which should streamline the onboarding process for existing customers in the state.
