An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Sports Wagering Licensing
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2117
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: HICKMAN
Amends: 8 MRSA §1206, 8 MRSA §1207, 8 MRSA §1208, 8 MRSA §1209

Legislative Document
No. 2117
S.P. 913
In Senate, January 3, 2024
An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Sports Wagering Licensing
Submitted by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 203.
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  8 MRSA §1206, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
4.  Fees.  The fee for an initial or renewed facility sports wagering license is $4,000 
$1,000 and must be retained by the director for the costs of administering this chapter.  In 
addition to the license fee, the director may charge a processing fee for an initial or renewed 
license in an amount equal to the projected cost of processing the application and 
performing any background investigations.  If the actual cost exceeds the projected cost, 
an additional fee may be charged to meet the actual cost.  If the projected cost exceeds the 
actual cost, the difference may be refunded to the applicant or licensee.
Sec. 2.  8 MRSA §1206, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
5.  Term of license.  Except as provided in subsection 6, a license granted or renewed 
under this section is valid for 4 years one year unless sooner revoked by the director or the 
commissioner under section 1205.  The failure of a facility sports wagering licensee to 
maintain its underlying off-track betting license voids the facility sports wagering license.
Sec. 3.  8 MRSA §1206, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
6.  Temporary license.  An applicant for a facility sports wagering license may submit 
with the application a request for a temporary license.  A request for a temporary license 
must include the initial license fee of $4,000 $1,000.  If the director determines that the 
applicant is qualified under subsection 2, meets the requirements established by rule for a 
temporary license and has paid the initial license fee and the director is not aware of any 
reason the applicant is ineligible for a license under this section, the director may issue a 
temporary facility sports wagering license.  A temporary license issued under this 
subsection is valid for one year, unless the director through collaboration with the applicant 
agrees to extend the term of the license, or until a final determination on the facility sports 
wagering license application is made, whichever is sooner.  If after investigation the 
director determines that the applicant is eligible for a facility sports wagering license under 
this chapter, the director shall issue the initial facility sports wagering license, at which 
time the temporary license terminates.  The initial facility sports wagering license is valid 
for 4 years one year from the date that the temporary license was issued by the director.  
Sports wagering conducted under authority of a temporary license must comply with the 
facility operator's house rules adopted under section 1211.
Sec. 4.  8 MRSA §1207, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
4.  Fees.  The fee for an initial or renewed mobile sports wagering license is $200,000 
$50,000 and must be retained by the director for the costs of administering this chapter.  In 
addition to the license fee, the director may charge a processing fee for an initial or renewed 
license in an amount equal to the projected cost of processing the application and 
performing any background investigations.  If the actual cost exceeds the projected cost, 
an additional fee may be charged to meet the actual cost.  If the projected cost exceeds the 
actual cost, the difference may be refunded to the applicant or licensee.
Sec. 5.  8 MRSA §1207, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
5.  Term of license.  Except as provided in subsection 6, a license granted or renewed 
under this section is valid for 4 years one year unless sooner revoked by the director or the 
commissioner under section 1205.
Sec. 6.  8 MRSA §1207, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
6.  Temporary license.  An applicant for a mobile sports wagering license may submit 
with the application a request for a temporary license.  A request for a temporary license 
must include the initial license fee of $200,000 $50,000.  If the director determines that the 
applicant is qualified under subsection 2, meets the requirements established by rule for a 
temporary license and has paid the initial license fee and the director is not aware of any 
reason the applicant is ineligible for a license under this section, the director may issue a 
temporary mobile sports wagering license.  A temporary license issued under this 
subsection is valid for one year, unless the director through collaboration with the applicant 
agrees to extend the term of the license, or until a final determination on the mobile sports 
wagering license application is made, whichever is sooner.  If after investigation the 
director determines that the applicant is eligible for a mobile sports wagering license under 
this chapter, the director shall issue the initial mobile sports wagering license, at which time 
the temporary license terminates.  The initial mobile sports wagering license is valid for 4 
years one year from the date that the temporary license was issued by the director.  Sports 
wagering conducted under authority of a temporary license must comply with the mobile 
operator's house rules adopted under section 1211.
Sec. 7.  8 MRSA §1208, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
4.  Fees.  The fee for an initial or renewed supplier license is $40,000 $10,000 and must 
be retained by the director for the costs of administering this chapter.  In addition to the 
license fee, the director may charge a processing fee for an initial or renewed license in an 
amount equal to the projected cost of processing the application and performing any 
background investigations.  If the actual cost exceeds the projected cost, an additional fee 
may be charged to meet the actual cost.  If the projected cost exceeds the actual cost, the 
difference may be refunded to the applicant or licensee.
Sec. 8.  8 MRSA §1208, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
5.  Term of license.  Except as provided in subsection 6, a license granted or renewed 
under this section is valid for 4 years one year unless sooner revoked by the director or the 
commissioner under section 1205.
Sec. 9.  8 MRSA §1208, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is amended 
to read:
6.  Temporary license.  An applicant for a supplier license may submit with the 
application a request for a temporary license.  A request for a temporary license must 
include the initial license fee of $40,000 $10,000.  If the director determines that the 
applicant is qualified under subsection 2, meets the requirements established by rule for a 
temporary license and has paid the initial license fee and the director is not aware of any 
reason the applicant is ineligible for a license under this section, the director may issue a 
temporary supplier license.  A temporary license issued under this subsection is valid for 
one year, unless the director through collaboration with the applicant agrees to extend the 
term of the license, or until a final determination on the supplier license application is made, 
whichever is sooner.  If after investigation the director determines that the applicant is 
eligible for a supplier license under this chapter, the director shall issue the initial supplier 
license, at which time the temporary license terminates.  The initial supplier license is valid 
for 4 years one year from the date that the temporary license was issued by the director.
Sec. 10.  8 MRSA §1209, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is 
amended to read:
4.  Fees.  The fee for an initial or renewed management services license is $40,000 
$10,000 and must be retained by the director for the costs of administering this chapter.  In 
addition to the license fee, the director may charge a processing fee for an initial or renewed 
license in an amount equal to the projected cost of processing the application and 
performing any background investigations.  If the actual cost exceeds the projected cost, 
an additional fee may be charged to meet the actual cost.  If the projected cost exceeds the 
actual cost, the difference may be refunded to the applicant or licensee.
Sec. 11.  8 MRSA §1209, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is 
amended to read:
5.  Term of license.  Except as provided in subsection 6, a license granted or renewed 
under this section is valid for 4 years one year unless sooner revoked by the director or the 
commissioner under section 1205.
Sec. 12.  8 MRSA §1209, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 681, Pt. J, §6, is 
amended to read:
6.  Temporary license.  An applicant for a management services license may submit 
with the application a request for a temporary license.  A request for a temporary license 
must include the initial license fee of $40,000 $10,000.  If the director determines that the 
applicant is qualified under subsection 1, meets the requirements established by rule for a 
temporary license and has paid the initial license fee and the director is not aware of any 
reason the applicant is ineligible for a license under this section, the director may issue a 
temporary management services license.  A temporary license issued under this subsection 
is valid for one year, unless the director through collaboration with the applicant agrees to 
extend the term of the license, or until a final determination on the management services 
license application is made, whichever is sooner.  If after investigation the director 
determines that the applicant is eligible for a management services license under this 
chapter, the director shall issue the initial management services license, at which time the 
temporary license terminates.  The initial management services license is valid for 4 years 
one year from the date that the temporary license was issued by the director.
Sec. 13. Transition.  Those sections of this Act that amend the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 8, section 1206, subsection 5; section 1206, subsection 6; section 1207, 
subsection 5; section 1207, subsection 6; section 1208, subsection 5; section 1208, 
subsection 6; section 1209, subsection 5; and section 1209, subsection 6 reducing the terms 
of 4-year initial or renewed licenses do not affect the length of the terms of licenses issued 
to licensees as of the effective date of this Act.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the laws governing the regulation of sports wagering licensing.  It 
lowers the fee for an initial or renewed facility sports wagering license from $4,000 to 
$1,000, reduces the term of the license from 4 years to one year and provides that the term 
of a temporary license may be extended. The bill makes similar changes regarding the 
mobile sports wagering license, except that it lowers the fee from $200,000 to $50,000.  It 
also makes similar changes regarding the supplier license and the management services 
license, except that it lowers the fee from $40,000 to $10,000.