Maine legislators have long been trying to introduce an encompassing gambling policy that would allow the state to eventually gain control over its casino industry. Furthermore, Sen. Linda Valentino has been among the keen proponents of the launch of new gambling venues on the territory of the state and the results from a report compiled late last year might help her prevail in the upcoming gambling debates.
Currently, there are two casinos in Maine – Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway in Bangor and Oxford Casino in Oxford. According to certain legislators, the fact that the state lacks in an adequate gambling policy has allowed casino owners and voters to determine important matters, such as license fees, the size of the gambling properties, etc., with the Legislature having no say over those.
Late last year, Maine’s legislative body commissioned a $150,000 report, the results of which showed that more casinos could be launched in the state without this having significant impact on the already existing ones. The study also offered a comprehensive model for the establishment of a bidding process for license granting.
Sen. Valentino proposed five regions to be set up and the state to accept applications for casino licenses for the three regions that do not have gambling facilities on their territory. Bidders would have to pay $5 million, a fee much higher than the one paid by the owners of the Oxford and Bangor casinos. The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee will start discussing Sen. Valentino’s measure on Monday.
Yet, her proposal as well as others that suggest expansion of the gambling industry are expected to meet strong opposition from the already established facilities. Furthermore, critics of those measures said the report, which had been compiled by WhiteSand Gaming, a group that is clearly interested in gambling, should not be put that much confidence in.
Carroll Conley, Executive Director of the Christian Civic League, pointed out that Maine residents are not keen on the launch of new casinos in the state, as they have rejected several proposals for the expansion of the state’s gambling industry over the past couple of years.
Oxford Casino representatives could not be reached for a comment on the upcoming debates. Jose Flores, General Manager of Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway, noted that Maine has no room for more gambling facilities. He cited a report, according to which the launch of Oxford Casino in 2012 resulted in a 19% decline in Hollywood’s net revenue from slot machines.
Recently, Henry John Bear, a Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians representative to the Maine Legislature, proposed a bill that would allow his tribe to open a casino in Aroostook County. He commented that now they have bigger chance for success than ever.
