Poker fans looking to join in on games in the Pine Tree State will find that the Internet operates many legal online poker rooms that are available to all residents. If you decide to stick to the options found on the market, you will see that you do not have to worry about being ripped off. Online poker's inherent lack of regulation means that there can occasionally be some problems from gaming, but we do not recommend any sites with poor reputations nor do we play at them ourselves. We are poker players too and we demand the best poker networks to play at.
Just as is the case with any other business, a reputable operation relies upon having a good rapport with their members in order to keep things going. Online poker sites are no different, as they must provide exemplary service and consistent payouts to their users to keep the chips stacked and the cards flowing. Below we will cover the basics of playing legal online poker in Maine and the best places to do so.
Check the amount of guaranteed funds and participating poker rooms in a special thread Unibet section on our forum. Read about Maine's gambling laws here. Includes the types of gambling legal in Maine as well as legal poker sites. Poker Free adult movie.
Is Online Poker Legal In Maine?
![Poker Rooms In Maine Poker Rooms In Maine](/uploads/1/3/8/5/138597839/839809600.jpg)
With a number of federal laws in place across the nation that affect gambling in general such as the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), poker players must be aware of a few things before hitting the tables. These laws specifically target the business of gambling and the facilitation of bets for profit but they do not affect the simple act of placing a bet in a poker game. This leaves a bit of room for each state to expound upon these laws, as the state of Maine is one such state that has done so.
Maine is one of the most poker-friendly states in the union, with a liberal view on the game through its legislation. Players are even able to play the game professionally in the Pine Tree State and make it their own source of income. Maine’s gambling laws also make no reference to the internet or online poker which means that any card fan is able to log on to any legal site and play to their heart’s content.
While both federal and state laws are in the poker player’s favor in the state of Maine, it is still very important to abide by the rules in place. Operating a poker site or any other business that facilitates bets will result in serious punishment. While Maine players are able to play poker in an approved facility under these rules, it is true that federal law prevents any venue from conveniently existing. There is a simple way around this however, in that any online poker room that exists outside of the United States is legal to visit and wager in.
Legal Maine Poker Rooms | U.S.A | USA Poker BONUS | Poker REVIEW | PLAY NOW |
BetOnline Poker | Yes - 50 States | 25% Match / $1,000 Each | ||
SportsBetting Poker | Yes - 50 States | Up To 25% Each Deposit | ||
5Dimes Poker | Yes - 50 States | No Bonuses For Poker |
BetOnline Poker Room - Best Maine Poker Site
BetOnline Poker - BetOnline's poker room is one of the most impressive we have ever seen anditis one of the best legal poker sites that accept Maine players. Should you decide to join on with BetOnline, you will have various options available. BetOnline starts their users with a 25% match to $1,000, which comes as one of the better bonuses on the market.
When we decided to join up with BetOnline, we found that they cover every major aspect of poker, be it Texas or Omaha hold 'em or seven card stud. BetOnline has built in rake back, guaranteed tournaments, and easy deposits. Wire transfer services like Western Union, VISA and MasterCard or Bitcoin can be used to fund your account. It only takes minutes to get started here!
Overall Thoughts About Legal Poker In Maine
While the Pine Tree State is very calm with their poker legislations, players will have a hard time trying to find a dedicated poker room to play in. There is only one small facility in Bangor but the lax laws have made it to where any Maine resident may visit a legal online poker site without concern. In fact, the truest form of the game for either low or high stakes can be played from any location within Maine so long as the site does not violate any laws and the player is not standing to collect profit other than his or her own winnings.
Online poker for residents of Maine is a simple quest as any online poker site that is located outside of both state and federal jurisdiction is legal to play on. With this being the only factor to legality, one can imagine with the vastness of the internet that there are a great many options. Based out of locations as nearby as Montreal, Quebec, these sites are even dedicated to US. Players despite their foreign locales and are entirely safe and legal for any poker player that currently calls Maine home.
Home » US Poker Laws – State by State Reviews » Maine Poker Laws & Gambling Bills
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April 30th, 2018 | Last updated on November 5th, 2020
Maine Poker Laws & Gambling Bills
Last Updated November 5, 2020
Last Updated November 5, 2020
Playing poker in the state of Maine, aside from the occasional game among friends, has long presented a bit of a challenge. That challenge was lessened dramatically by the dawn of online poker, which brought the game into the home of millions of players who otherwise might have never taken the opportunity to play for stakes.
Playing online poker in Maine is as easy as creating an account, making a deposit and choosing a table. The whole thing takes less than five minutes at the major sites, and you can usually deposit right there with a credit card. There are literally dozens of sites welcome Maine poker players – including all of the rooms on our real-money poker page.
Poker Room In Maine
While online poker is more or less the same as a game among friends, there are still some important things players should know about the law, regulation and related issues in this guide to Playing Online Poker in Maine.
Type/Code | Summary |
---|---|
State Code Section(s) | 4.141-278; 4.501-739; 14.90; 27 |
Definition of Gambling & Player | Gambling: The intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit. Gambling has long been recognized as a crime in the state of Louisiana and despite the enactment of many legalized gaming activities remains a crime. Gambling by computer: The intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting as a business of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit when accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any server. Gambling which occurs via the Internet embodies the very activity that the legislature seeks to prevent. |
Online Poker/Gambling | A bill was introduced in the Louisiana legislature in 2018 to address the legalization of online poker and casino games. It would have allowed each parish in the state to vote on legalizing online gaming. The bill did not pass but will likely be discussed again in 2019. |
Live Poker | There are poker rooms offering cash games and tournaments in most of the major riverboat and Native American casinos, as well as some of the racinos (race tracks with casino games). |
Casinos | There are Indian-run casinos per the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, riverboat-type casinos, and horse tracks converted into racinos. There are more than two dozen open in 2018. |
Sports Betting | There is a bill under consideration in 2018 to legalize sports betting per the US Supreme Court decision to overturn PASPA. |
DFS | A bill to legalize daily fantasy sports was bundled with other type of online gaming in 2018 and did not pass. |
Other Forms of Gambling | Horse and dog racing, pari-mutuel betting, charitable gambling, lottery, bingo and keno, social gambling, slot machines at racetracks. |
Online Poker in Maine
You’re looking for an online poker site. What do you want? You want fair games, your money to be secure, depositing to be easy and bonuses to be high-value. However, it’s not always easy to tell at first glance which online poker sites offer these qualities. That’s where our list of the best Maine online poker sites comes into play. It takes all that and more into account when determining which poker rooms are the best for players from Maine.
Is Online Poker Legal in Maine?
The legality of online poker is an open question in nearly every US state, and Maine is no exception. State law is notoriously slow to keep pace with modern development, and the same can be said for the gambling laws of Maine, which do not directly address the issue of playing at an online poker room. To aid poker players in their legal research, here are a few key parts of Maine statutes concerning gambling and poker:
The definition of gambling found in Maine law is a standard one. Gambling is when you risk “something of value” on a “contest of chance” or an event that isn’t under your “control or influence” (Section 952(4)).
Unlike some other states, Maine law specifically spells out what a “contest of chance” is. There must be something staked or risked, the rules of the contest involve an element “determined by chance” and chance must play a role in the outcome of the game that can’t be “eliminated through the application of skill” (Section 952(3)).
In case you were wondering, the shuffle of the deck in a game of poker qualifies as such an element per Maine law. Section 952(C) offers a list of events that qualify, which “includes but is not limited to a shuffle of a deck or decks of cards, a roll of a die or dice or a random drawing or generation of an object or objects that may include, but are not limited to, a card or cards, a die or dice, a number or numbers or simulations of any of these.” In fact, the shuffle of a virtual deck of cards is clearly covered by the definition as well.
There are no obvious penalties for players under Maine law. You can run into trouble if you engage in some forms of underage gambling, but mere participation in an illegal gambling activity doesn’t seem to risk criminal exposure.
The core anti-gambling charge in Maine law is “unlawful gambling” (Section 954 (1-A)), which is aimed at one who “advances or profits” from unlawful gambling. It should be noted that the definition of advancing gambling activity found in Maine law (Section 952(1)) is very broad and could potentially include just about anyone involved with the activity in any role (promotional, support, financing) besides that of player.
The complete Maine statutes are available below. While we’ve picked out what we consider to be the most important parts for online poker players, it’s always a good idea to be familiar with state gambling law in general – and remember to contact a lawyer for anything other than a casual inquiry into the law.
Will Maine Regulate Online Poker?
Maine falls squarely into the category of states who are likely to come along for the ride if online gambling regulation gains national momentum. Maine hasn’t been immune from the budget crunch facing other US states, and there appears to be little built-in opposition to online gambling expansion. If online gambling catches on nationally, then expect Maine to ride that trend; if progress stalls at the national level, so will the state’s chances of regulating online poker.
Maine Gambling Facts
Gambling played a part in the early days of Maine, along with just about every New England state. Lottery and raffle-style games were the forerunners of the modern gambling industry of Maine, which developed in fits and starts over the course of several decades. While Maine approved a state lottery fairly early in the game back in 1973, it wasn’t until over 30 years later that the next major expansion of gambling would take place in the state. That came in 2004 when voters turned out in favor of a proposal to allow slots at racetracks in the state.
Regulated Gambling Options in Maine
The one thing you couldn’t find in Maine until recently: Casinos. Neither commercial casinos nor tribal gambling options made the list of regulated gambling choices in Maine back in 2011, which does include a state lottery, a variety of charitable-type gambling and pari-mutuel wagering. A 2012 addition to the state’s landscape – the Oxford Casino – brought Maine into the ranks of states offering commercial casinos.
Does Maine Offer any Regulated Online Gambling?
A survey of the state at the time of this article revealed that no online gambling options are directly regulated by the State of Maine. As noted in our above analysis, Maine could easily switch course and regulate a variety of online gambling activity in a relatively small time frame, but in the status quo poker players from Maine must rely on sites licensed by international jurisdictions.
All Poker and Gambling Laws by State
Maine in the News
- State Senator Roger Katz is sponsoring a bill to regulate daily fantasy sports in Maine. If passed, the bill would make Maine the 9th U.S. state to pass DFS regulations. Sen. Katz is required to submit a detailed proposal, but not a full itemized bill. Therefore, it is known thatRead Full
- Net Entertainment has speeded up its entry into the North American online gambling market by entering into a cross-license agreement with International Game Technology, the largest manufacturer of US slot machines. IGT has a much wider network of associations besides its land-based gaming machine business, though. As of 2014, IGTRead Full
- Though opponents of casino gambling in New Hampshire were able to defeat gaming legislation in 2014, those opponents expect to face a new challenge to the status quo in 2015. After opponents of brick-and-mortar gambling in New Hampshire were able to squelch legislation during the summer months of 2014, theRead Full
Maine Gambling Resources
Gambling Control Board . The definitive resource for issues of gambling law and regulation in the state of Maine. In addition to other features, Maine offers live streaming of GCB meetings when the board is in session.
UNLV Gaming Research: Maine . Comprehensive but concise overview of the regulated gambling industry in Maine. Includes timeline, basic financials and a quick survey of gambling revenue sharing arrangements.
The Free Poker Room
Maine State Lottery . Official home for the Maine State Lottery. Learn more about the history and finances of the oldest regulated gambling activity in Maine.