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Maine Gov. Janet Mills signs bill to ban sweepstakes casinos
Janet Mills, the Governor of Maine, signed a bill banning online sweepstakes casinos in the state on April 6, 2026, after lawmakers had approved and sent it to her desk on April 2, 2026.
Under the new legislation, sweepstakes casinos will be defined as illegal gambling according to the law called “An Act Regarding the Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games”, with enforcement action based on criminal and regulatory rules.
In case of violations, fines could range from $10,000 to $100,000 per offence. Also, the obtained penalties will be sent to Maine’s Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund to support research and programs connected to gambling harm.
Additionally, operators holding a license can face revocation if they are found in violation of the law. Companies or individuals caught in unlawful action will become ineligible for future licensing in Maine.
The legislation mainly focuses on the dual-currency model that is used in sweepstakes games, where users buy a virtual currency and then get another form of it through promotions and bonuses. The issue is that the second type of currency can be exchanged for prizes or cash, which raises concerns over its lawfulness.
This specific bill initially came from the Department of Public Safety to address the platforms that use virtual currencies to replicate gambling outcomes without being classified under state law.
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