Maine Sportsbooks Report Betting Handle of $37.5M for November

Maine, which is one of the latest states to launch sports betting, has published data about the industry’s performance in November. As it turns out, local players wagered almost $37.5 million during the first month of sports betting in the state.

According to the Maine Gambling Control Unit, part of the state’s Department of Public Safety, this figure signifies a smooth and frictionless launch of the vertical, highlighting the enthusiasm of local players.

According to Milt Champion, the Gambling Control Unit’s director, the authority received just a few complaints. In addition, the state’s hotline for problem players did not record a spike in calls, implying a strong yet healthy market.

Champion said that “everybody is behaving,” which he described as a good sign.

Maine’s Sports Betting Market Is Very Promising

Maine’s online sports betting market is controlled by the state’s indigenous tribes, notably the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, and Maliseet nations. The tribes are provided with exclusive rights to operate mobile betting apps, as long as they provide 10% of their revenue to federal taxes. The online betting market is open to customers aged 21 or older.

Tribes launched their own sportsbooks in partnership with existing commercial operators. The Passamaquoddy tribe selected DraftKings as its partner, while the other three tribes picked Caesars Sportsbook.

Despite partnering with only one of the tribes, DraftKings’ sportsbook dominated the mobile and online sports betting market. In November, the four tribes received roughly $2.3 million, providing $468,000 in taxes to the state. The rest of the gross receipts went to the vendors.

The favorable results became clear back during the opening weekend of Maine’s market when DraftKings netted over $3.4 million in profits. During the opening weekend, DraftKings paid out $2.57 million in winnings to its players, as well as $82,000 in taxes.