Maine’s Top Gambling Official Comes Under Fire from All Sides

Milton Champion, who serves on the Maine Gambling Control Board (MGCB), has been accused by inspectors under his control and Local 1989, a trade union, of failing to submit himself to the customary checks and balances that come with his position.

Gambling Inspectors Displeased with Their Boss in Maine

Rather, a letter signed by all nine inspectors who work under Champion said, the top regulatory official has been making decisions single-handedly while ignoring what was described as regulatory and public input.

This is not the first time Champion has found himself in a similar situation over his style of management, which has been largely successful in purely financial terms and maintaining regulatory oversight, in the MGCB’s testimony.

Earlier this year, Champion got himself in trouble over sexist tweets, which also supposedly involved an endorsement for white supremacists. His blunt and gruff manner, though, has been no reason to clash with the industry he helps oversee, however.

The letter signed by the inspectors and published earlier this week, though, expresses no confidence in the man’s ability to regulate the sector. The letter was published by the trade union, which also added comments of its own.

Mark Brunton, Local 1989 president, said that casino gambling was in general a highly contentious issue, and its regulation was of significant public interest.

The union has objected to Champion’s handling of changed working schedules at the Oxford Casino and the Hollywood Casino Bangor, and the inspectors themselves said that they have been prevented from carrying out oversight over the properties in a related manner.

“One of the concerns was to make sure it was well-regulated to protect the citizens of Maine. That’s the important role that our inspectors play. They need to be on the job whenever the casinos are open,” Brunton griped.

Not Subject to Checks and Balances

Furthermore, the inspectors feel that Champion is not subject to the same checks and balances that are apposite to his position.

“Now, rather than subject himself to the checks and balances of the Board’s oversight function, Milton Champion is circumventing the Board altogether by making unilateral decisions that completely undermine the Board’s ability to oversee gambling matters in Maine,” the letter further claimed.

The inspectors insist that the proposed changes to the working schedules “made very little sense” and “were not based on data.”

However, it’s not just a concern for the industry, as inspectors also insist that Champion has failed to honor “correct pays” and he has been displeased with any challenge to his authority, forcing him to retaliate, the letter further alleges.

Champion finds himself on slippery ground, although he is not necessarily acting out of reach as the letter suggests.