Maine Retail Sportsbook Loses License Ahead of Super Bowl Weekend, Appeals

Much of January is spent by sportsbooks preparing for the single most-wagered-on event in the history of American sports – the Super Bowl. Yet, Oddfellahs Sportsbook and Bar in Portland is now frantically scrambling to appeal and hopefully overturn a license refusal issued by the Maine Gambling Control Unit.

Sportsbook Gets Cold Shoulder from Regulator

The sportsbook is the only place in the state where you can place a physical wager, and it is a collaboration with Caesars. The sportsbook was operating under a temporary license, which finally expired on January 17, but an expected permanent licensure was not granted by Maine’s gambling watchdog.

On January 29, the sportsbook had to stop operating as a place where people could place bets – or even expect current bets to be honored. A statement by the sportsbook released last week read:

“The State issued us a license in late August last year. Now, the Maine Attorney General’s Office suddenly changed their mind and has worked to fully pull our license away. We are pursuing an appeal to Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner and have asked Maine Superior Court to let us continue operating under the license we have had for 5 months. We hope to hear early next week.”

Regulatory boss Milton Champion explained that under current law, sports betting in the state is only allowed at the premises of licensed commercial track facilities. It’s not only that the company is missing out on the Super Bowl bonanza, but similarly – those with outstanding wagers have also been locked out.

Superior Court Hail Mary Is Oddfellahs’ Last Chance

As to Mike Cianchette, the owner of Oddfellahs, which runs the business with Caesars, he remains hopeful that the venue will eventually be allowed to return to operation, as the sportsbook would want to do right by the public, and especially those people who have already placed wagers before the events of January 17 and January 29.

With an initial salvo in a state court failing, the matter now rests with Superior Court Justice John O’Neill who has promised to act in a timely matter. The clock is ticking, because the Sunday game is fast approaching and most bets are already locked in.