Caesars Prepares Three Casino Brands for Maine iGaming
Caesars Entertainment has extended its deal with the three Wabanaki Nations of Maine to include online casino gaming. The agreement covers Caesars’ partnership with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, and the Penobscot Nation.
Caesars Builds on Its Sports Betting Base
The operator is already working with the same tribal partners in the online sports betting industry in Maine. Caesars Sportsbook launched in Maine in November 2023, after the state opened its regulated sports betting market.
This deal is going to be long-term and will require regulatory approval. Should the market launch according to plans, Caesars will offer three iGaming brands in Maine:
1) Caesars Palace Online Casino;
2) Caesars Sportsbook & Casino;
3) Horseshoe Online Casino.
The plan gives Caesars an early position in a small but politically important iGaming market. Maine will not turn into one of the leading national iGaming markets in terms of its size. Its value lies in the market structure.
Tribal Revenue Sits at the Center of the Model
The iGaming structure in Maine is based on LD 1164, the legislation that grants the Wabanaki Nations the right to conduct online casino gambling in the state. This structure enables the tribes to maintain control, while still offering room for commercial operators to enter via partnership.
For the three Nations partnering with Caesars, the online casino agreement involves job creation, training, and revenue. According to Caesars, it plans to offer its commitment to workforce development and financial support for the tribes.
In addition, the iGaming structure in Maine includes the Maine Gambling Control Unit. It will have to approve the platform before the launch. Caesars says the agreement positions the parties for a potential iGaming launch in 2026, pending regulatory approvals.
Legal Pushback Has Not Gone Away
The stance taken by the Maine government still remains controversial. Oxford Casino Hotel and its parent companies filed a lawsuit in federal court. The companies argued that the legislation violates the equal protection provisions and creates a monopoly through providing online casino access only to Wabanaki Nations.
Another criticism comes from commercial casino providers. Their arguments are fairly straightforward – land-based casino businesses invested in the state of Maine for many years, while the online casino business is now reserved for the Wabanaki Nations and their selected partners.
On the other hand, the law’s supporters see it in a different light. For them, iGaming is a solution to one of the longstanding problems and a new revenue stream for tribes.
What Comes Next
Caesars now has agreements with three of Maine’s four Wabanaki Nations. While that is not a guarantee of a successful rollout, it definitely puts Caesars on a clear path to market.
The expert read is that Maine may become less important for revenue than for precedent. If Caesars can turn its sports betting partnership into a casino launch, it will strengthen the case for tribal-first iGaming models in other states. The legal fight will decide how stable that model looks.