An Act Concerning High-stakes Beano
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0227
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: MITCHELL, TUTTLE, BEAULIEU, CAREY, DION, KRUGER, LONGSTAFF, LUCHINI, RUSSELL, SCHNECK, PATRICK
Amends: 17 MRSA §314-A, 17 MRSA §314-B

Legislative Document 
No. 227 
H.P. 188 
House of Representatives, February 5, 2013 
An Act Concerning High-stakes Beano 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MITCHELL of the Penobscot Nation. 
Cosponsored by Senator TUTTLE of York and 
Representatives: BEAULIEU of Auburn, CAREY of Lewiston, DION of Portland, KRUGER 
of Thomaston, LONGSTAFF of Waterville, LUCHINI of Ellsworth, RUSSELL of Portland, 
SCHNECK of Bangor, Senator: PATRICK of Oxford. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 1991, c. 426, 
§4, is repealed. 
Sec. 2.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§3-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. I, §5 and 
affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 3.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§5-A is enacted to read: 
5-A.  High-stakes electronic beano.  An organization licensed under this section 
may operate high-stakes electronic beano as described in this subsection. 
A.  As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following 
terms have the following meanings. 
(1)  "Electronic beano terminal" means an electronic appliance used by a player 
to identify electronic beano cards that contain numbers or symbols input by a 
player that correspond to numbers or symbols determined by the electronic beano 
terminal. 
(2)  "High-stakes electronic beano" means a game that simulates the play of 
nonelectronic beano and is played on individual electronic beano terminals that 
are connected to a central computer system that generates beano games.  A 
person playing high-stakes electronic beano plays the game on an individual 
electronic beano terminal. A draw consists of up to 75 numbers and letters that 
correspond to the electronic beano cards in play. 
B.  The manner in which the winner is determined must be clearly announced or 
displayed before any game is begun.  Any game winning pattern may be used. 
C.  Individual electronic beano terminals may offer electronic beano cards of varying 
themes and denominations. 
D.  All electronic beano cards of the same denomination played by the individual 
electronic beano terminals in a round must correspond with the same high-stakes 
electronic beano game generated by the central computer system. 
E.  Individual electronic beano terminals may accept cash, tokens, cards or vouchers 
for the purchase of electronic beano cards but may not dispense cash.  A prize 
awarded for winning a high-stakes electronic beano game must be in the form of a 
voucher that may be redeemed for cash or prizes. 
F.  Individual electronic beano terminals and the central computer system must be 
audited by a 3rd-party game testing company, which shall provide audits of the 
central computer system and individual electronic beano terminals upon request of 
the Chief of the State Police.  An operator of high-stakes electronic beano shall 
ensure a method of secure access via the Internet by the Chief of the State Police for 
the purposes of conducting audits and monitoring the operation and play of high-
stakes electronic beano.  Any software, equipment or training necessary for the Chief 
of the State Police to use the auditing and monitoring system must be paid for by the 
operator of high-stakes electronic beano. 
This subsection does not preclude the use of electronic displays on a screen for the 
purposes of entertainment as long as the electronic displays have no effect on the 
outcome of the high-stakes electronic beano game. 
Sec. 4.  17 MRSA §314-B, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 197, §4, is repealed. 
SUMMARY 
Current law allows the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and 
the Aroostook Band of Micmacs to operate high-stakes beano games no more than 27 
weekends a year and the Passamaquoddy Tribe to operate high-stakes electronic beano 
games up to 100 times per year.  This bill eliminates those restrictions.  The bill also 
allows the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Aroostook Band 
of Micmacs and the Passamaquoddy Tribe to operate high-stakes electronic beano.  
Electronic beano simulates traditional beano and is played on individual electronic beano 
terminals connected to a central computer system that generates beano games.  Individual 
electronic beano terminals may accept cash, tokens, cards or vouchers but may not 
dispense cash.  A prize awarded for winning electronic beano must be in the form of a 
voucher that may be redeemed for cash or prizes.