An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County Transmitted to the Clerk of the 128th Maine Legislature by the Secretary of State on February 24, 2017 and ordered printed.
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0719
Amends: 8 MRSA §1011, 8 MRSA §1019, 8 MRSA §1020, 8 MRSA §1036

Legislative Document
No. 719
I.B. 1
House of Representatives, February 28, 2017
An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County
Transmitted to the Clerk of the 128th Maine Legislature by the Secretary of State on 
February 24, 2017 and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  8 MRSA §1011, sub-§2-C is enacted to read: 
2-C.  Entity eligible for slot machine operator license or casino operator license.  
Notwithstanding subsection 2-B or any other provision of this Title, the board may accept 
an application for a slot machine operator license or casino operator license to operate in 
York County slot machines at a slot machine facility or slot machines and table games at 
a casino from any entity that owned in 2003 at least 51% of an entity licensed to operate a 
commercial track in Penobscot County that conducted harness racing with pari-mutuel 
wagering on more than 25 days during calendar year 2002 if that entity and slot machine 
facility or casino satisfy the following criteria: 
A.  The operation of the slot machine facility or casino is approved by the 
municipality in which the slot machine facility or casino to be licensed will be 
located by local referendum election or by a vote of the municipal officers of the 
municipality in which the slot machine facility or casino is to be licensed and located 
held at any time; and 
B.  The slot machines will be located and operated in the slot machine facility or the 
slot machines and table games will be located and operated in the casino. 
Sec. 2.  8 MRSA §1019, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2011, c. 417, §5, is further 
amended to read: 
6.  Proximity of licensed casinos and slot machine facilities.  A casino operator 
license or slot machine operator license may not be issued under this chapter to operate 
any casino or slot machine facility located within 100 miles of a licensed casino or slot 
machine facility.  This subsection does not prohibit a commercial track that was licensed 
to operate slot machines on January 1, 2011 from obtaining a casino operator license for 
the same facility where slot machines were operated as of January 1, 2011.  This 
subsection does not apply to a license issued under section 1011, subsection 2-C. 
Sec. 3.  8 MRSA §1020, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 585, §8, is 
further amended to read: 
A.  Except for slot machines used for training and educational purposes at 
postsecondary institutions as provided by section 1011, subsection 1-B, the total 
number of slot machines registered in the State may not exceed 3,000 4,500; and 
Sec. 4.  8 MRSA §1036, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 417, §7, is further 
amended to read: 
1.  Distribution for administrative expenses of board.  A slot machine operator 
licensed under section 1011, subsection 2 or, a casino operator that is a commercial track 
that was licensed to operate slot machines under section 1011, subsection 2 on January 1, 
2011 or a slot machine operator or casino operator licensed under section 1011, 
subsection 2-C shall collect and distribute 1% of gross slot machine income to the 
Treasurer of State for deposit in the General Fund for the administrative expenses of the 
board.  
Sec. 5.  8 MRSA §1036, sub-§2-D is enacted to read: 
2-D.  Distribution of net slot machine income from slot machine facility or casino 
licensed under section 1011, subsection 2-C.  A slot machine operator or casino 
operator licensed under section 1011, subsection 2-C shall collect and distribute 39% of 
the net slot machine income from slot machines operated by the slot machine operator or 
casino operator to the board for distribution by the board as follows: 
A.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be deposited to the General 
Fund for administrative expenses of the board in accordance with the rules adopted 
by the board, except that, of the amount calculated pursuant to this paragraph, the 
following amounts must be transferred annually to the Gambling Addiction 
Prevention and Treatment Fund established by Title 5, section 20006-B: 
(1)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, $50,000; 
(2)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, $50,000; and 
(3)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019 and for each fiscal year thereafter, 
$100,000; 
B.  Ten percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
Treasurer of State, who shall credit the money to the fund established in section 298 
to supplement harness racing purses; 
C.  Three percent of the net slot machine income must be credited by the board to the 
Sire Stakes Fund created in section 281; 
D.  Three percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to 
the Treasurer of State, who shall credit the money to the Agricultural Fair Support 
Fund established in Title 7, section 91; 
E.  Ten percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded directly by the 
board to the Treasurer of State, who shall credit the money to the Department of 
Education, to be used to supplement and not to supplant funding for essential 
programs and services for kindergarten to grade 12 under Title 20-A, chapter 606-B; 
F.  Two percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
University of Maine System Scholarship Fund created in Title 20-A, section 10909 
and to the Board of Trustees of the Maine Maritime Academy to be applied by the 
board of trustees to fund its scholarship program. The slot machine income under this 
paragraph must be distributed as follows: 
(1)  The University of Maine System share is the total amount of the distribution 
multiplied by the ratio of enrolled students in the system to the total number of 
enrolled students both in the system and at the Maine Maritime Academy; and 
(2)  The Maine Maritime Academy share is the total amount of the distribution 
multiplied by the ratio of enrolled students at the academy to the total number of 
enrolled students both in the system and at the academy; 
G.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
Board of Trustees of the Maine Community College System to be applied by the 
board of trustees to fund its scholarships program under Title 20-A, section 12716, 
subsection 1; 
H.  Two percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to 
the Treasurer of State, who shall credit the money to the Fund to Encourage Racing at 
Maine's Commercial Tracks, established in section 299; however, the payment 
required by this paragraph is terminated when all commercial tracks have obtained a 
license to operate slot machines in accordance with this chapter, in which case that 
2% must be credited to the General Fund as undedicated revenue; 
I.  Three percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to 
the Treasurer of State, who shall distribute that money at the municipal level 
throughout the State to be used to reduce property taxes; 
J.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
Treasurer of State, who shall distribute the funds to the tribal governments of the 
Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe; 
K.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
Treasurer of State, who shall use the money to fund drug education initiatives 
throughout the State; 
L.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
Treasurer of State, who shall distribute the funds to supplement programs at the 
office of aging and disability services within the Department of Health and Human 
Services; and 
M.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded directly to the 
municipality in which the slot machines are located. 
Sec. 6.  8 MRSA §1036, sub-§2-E is enacted to read: 
2-E.  Distribution of table game income from casino licensed under section 1011, 
subsection 2-C.  A casino operator licensed under section 1011, subsection 2-C shall 
collect and distribute 16% of the net table game income from table games operated by the 
casino operator to the board for distribution by the board as follows: 
A.  Nine percent of the net table game income must be forwarded directly by the 
board to the Treasurer of State, who shall credit the money to the Department of 
Education, to be used to supplement and not to supplant funding for essential 
programs and services for kindergarten to grade 12 under Title 20-A, chapter 606-B; 
B.  Three percent of the net table game income must be deposited to the Gambling 
Control Board administrative expenses Other Special Revenue Funds account, which 
is a nonlapsing dedicated account; 
C.  Two percent of the net table game income must be forwarded directly to the 
municipality in which the table games are located; and 
D.  Two percent of the net table game income must be deposited into the Coordinated 
Veterans Assistance Fund established in Title 37-B, section 514.  
SUMMARY 
This initiated bill allows slot machines or a casino in York County.  The initiated bill 
authorizes the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Board to accept 
applications for a license to operate slot machines or a casino from an entity that owned 
in 2003 at least 51% of an entity licensed to operate a commercial track in Penobscot 
County that conducted harness horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering on more than 25 
days in 2002 if certain criteria are met.  The operation of the slot machines or casino must 
be approved by the voters or the municipal officers of the municipality in which the slot 
machines or casino will be located.  The slot machines must be located and operated in a 
slot machine facility or the slot machines and table games must be located and operated 
in a casino. 
Current law provides that a casino operator license or slot machine operator license 
may not be issued to operate any casino or slot machine facility within 100 miles of a 
licensed casino or slot machine facility.  This initiated bill exempts a slot machine 
operator or a casino operator licensed under the provisions of this initiated bill from the 
100-mile restriction. 
This initiated bill raises the limit on the number of slot machines allowed to be 
registered in the State from 3,000 to 4,500.  The operation of the slot machines or casino 
is subject to regulation by the Gambling Control Board.  The applicant for a slot machine 
operator license or casino operator license must pay the $5,000,000 license fee set out in 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 1018, subsection 1-A. 
The slot machine or casino operator must collect and distribute 1% of gross slot 
machine income to the Treasurer of State for deposit in the General Fund for the 
administrative expenses of the Gambling Control Board. 
The slot machine or casino operator must collect and distribute 39% of the net slot 
machine income to the Gambling Control Board for distribution by the board as follows: 
1.  One percent must be deposited to the General Fund for administrative expenses of 
the board except for a certain amount that must be transferred annually to the Gambling 
Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund; 
2.  Ten percent must be credited to a fund to supplement harness racing purses; 
3.  Three percent must be credited to the Sire Stakes Fund; 
4.  Three percent must be credited to the Agricultural Fair Support Fund; 
5.  Ten percent must be credited to the Department of Education to be used to 
supplement and not to supplant funding for essential programs and services for 
kindergarten to grade 12; 
6.  Two percent must be forwarded to the University of Maine System Scholarship 
Fund and to the Board of Trustees of the Maine Maritime Academy to be applied by the 
board of trustees to fund its scholarship program; 
7.  One percent must be forwarded to the Board of Trustees of the Maine Community 
College System to be applied by the board of trustees to fund its scholarship program; 
8.  Two percent must be credited to the Fund to Encourage Racing at Maine's 
Commercial Tracks; 
9.  Three percent must be forwarded to the Treasurer of State, who must distribute 
that money at the municipal level throughout the State to be used to reduce property 
taxes; 
10.  One percent must be distributed to the tribal governments of the Penobscot 
Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe; 
11.  One percent must be forwarded to the Treasurer of State, who must use the 
money to fund drug education initiatives throughout the State; 
12.  One percent must be distributed to supplement programs at the office of aging 
and disability services within the Department of Health and Human Services; and 
13.  One percent must be forwarded to the municipality in which the slot machines 
are located. 
The casino operator must collect and distribute 16% of the net table game income to 
the Gambling Control Board for distribution by the board as follows: 
1.  Nine percent must be credited to the Department of Education to be used to 
supplement and not to supplant funding for essential programs and services for 
kindergarten to grade 12; 
2.  Three percent must be deposited to the Gambling Control Board administrative 
expenses Other Special Revenue Funds account; 
3.  Two percent must be forwarded to the municipality in which the table games are 
located; and 
4.  Two percent must be deposited into the Coordinated Veterans Assistance Fund.