Online Casino Legalization Fails in Two US States

With legal online gambling restricted to several US states, lawmakers across the country tried to increase the number of states that permit iGaming. Such effort was led in both Maine and Arkansas, but sadly, none of the proposals in the two states made through this legislative session.

iGaming Expansion Across the Country Hits a Snag in Two States

Currently, there are a total of seven states that allow online gambling. The list includes New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania, all major gambling markets. However, online casino play such as slots and table games are also available in West Virginia, Rhode Island, Delaware and Connecticut.

This year, lawmakers in Maine and Arkansas pushed proposals that called for the legalization of online gambling in the two states. Had those proposals received the necessary approval, they would’ve enabled the two states to roll out legal iGaming, expanding the reach of the activity beyond the seven states that permit it.

Despite the support online gambling received in the two states, none of the proposals saw the light of day. This means that the chances of legal iGaming arriving in Maine and Arkansas, at least during this year, are slim to none.

Online Casino Bills in Maine and Arkansas Fail to Gain Traction

Maine introduced legal online sports betting late in 2023. Since then, lawmakers and Indian Tribes have explored options to legalize iGaming too. Only recently, a proposal calling for the expansion of gambling with the introduction of online activities was endorsed by tribal leaders.

However, earlier this week, lawmakers agreed to conduct further studies regarding the impact of iGaming and the monopoly of the activity the tribes may have. As a result, the online gambling proposal hit a roadblock.

Similarly to Maine, the online casino proposal in Arkansas also hit a snag. The bill was calling for the legalization of online gambling and also sought to enforce punishments regarding sweepstakes social casinos. Unlike some states that consider legalizing and regulating sweepstakes, Arkansas sought to kill them altogether while rolling out legal online gambling.

However, the efforts under House Bill 1861 died earlier this week as the proposal was withdrawn by its author, Rep. Matt Duffield. This happened after the bill was recommended for study by the House’s Judiciary Committee. In other words, legal iGaming in Arkansas is unlikely to arrive by the year’s end.

Legalizing online gambling is expected to bring fresh tax revenue. While some states consider reaping the same success as they did with online betting, opponents warn about the negative impact the activity may have. In that line of thought, states that have legalized online betting, such as Kentucky for example, have recorded notable increases in the number of calls to problem gambling helplines.