Legal Sports Betting For Maine Residents
Though you may not be familiar, many options of legal sports betting for Maine residents do exist and are easy to come by. The state is not home to any professional team or championship-caliber Division 1 program, but it doesn’t need to be for you to enjoy betting on sports. As the country is changing their viewpoint on state-run sportsbooks, Maine has joined in the game and is looking to legalize the industry. Whether this happens soon or in a few years, we’re unsure, but also it doesn’t matter.
Offshore betting sites provide all of the luxuries you are looking for without any of the hassles. They are safe, legal, and offer amazing promotions to increase your bankroll before you even make your first wager. This guide will cover all of the basics with offshore betting sites as well as the outlook of future sports betting in Maine. From state laws to federal laws and betting ages to mobile betting, we cover it all. Be sure to check out the legal sports betting sites reviews, where we give you a promotional code to get started.
Can We Now Legally Bet On Sports In Maine?
Sports enthusiasts in the state can look forward to the launch of Maine sportsbooks in the future. In light of the Supreme Court ruling on PASPA, lawmakers introduced sports betting bill LD1348 * https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=129&paper=HP0976&PID=1456 *. It is only a matter of time before state-regulated sportsbooks in Maine start to accept wagers on the New England Patriots and other popular teams. For now, sports enthusiasts can find all of the latest betting odds at Bovada, BetOnline, and 5Dimes.
Online sports betting in Maine is legal, so long as it is done at an online, offshore sportsbook. There are currently no state laws that regulate sports betting or online betting sites. For those reasons, we recommend offshore sportsbooks, because they fall outside of the jurisdiction of US federal laws. They are regulated by the countries they are based in and are licensed by local gaming commissions, so you know they are still safe to use. Their physical location in another country just helps make them legal Maine sports betting sites.
Sports Betting Laws in Maine
The state of Maine has very few gambling laws. Of those, there are none that mention using the internet to gamble, or betting on sports whatsoever. Maine’s lack of sports betting laws and online gambling laws leads us to believe that an online, offshore sportsbook constitutes legal sports betting in Maine. While there are still some federal laws to be on the watch for (more below), the state boasts nothing relating to outlawing sports betting.
Maine residents will not go to jail for online sports betting. As we have explained in previous sections, there is nothing wrong with betting on sports in Maine, so long as you are using an online, offshore sportsbook. By using an online portal based in another country, you are well within both your state and federal legal rights. Additionally, while there are federal sports betting laws, these laws do not pertain to the bettor. Rather, they target those who are operating sportsbooks and taking wagers.
Bovada is a sportsbook we have long been a part of, and we can tell you that they offer their players a number of different options. They cover a variety of sports. Professional and collegiate events alike are covered by this sportsbook. The list carries on, covering everything from basics like football and baseball to auto sports, fighting and more. Bovada has a 50% to $250 match for their players, which offers as much money as you can afford to deposit. Bitcoin users can redeem the 50% Bitcoin Welcome for up to $500 with code BVSBITCOIN50. Bovada has some of the fairest odds on the market, and we can tell you that payouts come quickly. Bovada is easily one of our most famous of betting sites, and they do have even the remote possibility of being ripped off.
BetOnline is another safe gaming site, and they provide all of their players with one of the more secure gaming locations. BetOnline, licensed out of Panama, operates as a completely legitimate gambling site. They even have a solid bonus - one of the best online. The 50% New Player Bonus will instantly give players up to $1,000 in bonus cash with code BOL1000. BetOnline has brought its users many easy deposits methods by way of Bitcoin, VISA cards, wire transfers, and bank transfers. They feature over 20 different markets, covering just about every sport you could hope for. BetOnline is totally secure, and we can tell you that their odds are even more profitable than any other betting site.
Players here in Maine know that there are always new games going on and they can place bets on any sports game on MyBookie. There is a variety of different bets here on MyBookie so there is no reason why players with accounts cant make money. The mobile betting feature is big along with the live betting feature as well. The bonuses offered on MyBookie is something that should not be looked over either. Just picking a banking method could help players receive a bonus as well. There are many different promotions that are offered and that’s for both new and current account holders.
In Maine, legal sports betting was once impacted by a couple of federal laws. The first of these has now been repealed but is still worth becoming familiar with. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, more commonly referred to as PASPA, prevented 46 states from being able to regulate sports betting. On May 14th, 2018, PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court in Murphy vs. NCAA.
If you’re wondering why you can’t just use a New Jersey or Pennsylvania based online book instead of an offshore one, it’s because of the federal law the Wire Act. Under it, no person can accept a wager placed over a wire of communication, like a telephone or over the Internet. The Wire Act keeps sports betting contained within each state, preventing bets from crossing state lines unless it is legal in both states (and they agreed to do so). The Wire Act does not apply to offshore sportsbooks because they are based in other countries and fall outside of the jurisdiction of US law.
The third law, and probably the most impactful, is UIGEA. This law prevents US banks and financial institutions from processing transaction to and from offshore betting sites. As this may seem like the end all be all, there are a variety of methods to deposit with that UIGEA doesn’t cover. You may have your credit card transaction declined when attempting to deposit, but using Bitcoin, a wire transfer, MoneyGram, or even a prepaid VISA gift card can remedy the situation and have you gambling in no time – just make sure the VISA GC is good for international use first!
The legal betting age in Maine is 21 years of age. As long as you have had your 21st birthday, you can legally bet on sports in Maine. This age requirement applies to all forms of gambling, whether it be land-based or online. In both instances, your age will be verified by providing your state-licensed identification card. Never take the risk of underage gambling, which has serious legal consequences.
Figuring out which legal Maine sports betting site has the best mobile betting app is important. The great thing about mobile betting sites is that they offer all of the same features that an online sportsbook does. So really, it’s about choosing an online sportsbook that works for you and has all of the features you want. That way, when you go to bet on sports from your mobile device, you’ll have everything you want right at your fingertips. We should point out that these sites don’t technically have apps, they are just mobile-optimized sites that allow you to everything you could from your computer – even live bet.
How Can I Tell If An Online Sportsbook Accepts Maine Residents?
Online sports betting sites that accept American bettors will most assuredly accept Maine Residents. The best way to check this, though, is by heading to their about page and seeing what countries they serve. If America is listed and there are no exceptions listed behind it, then you can rest easy knowing that you’re using a legal Maine sports betting site.
What Should Maine Residents Look for in an Online Sports Betting Site?
First, you should look for a book that has all of the wager types and sports you want to bet on. Once that’s settled, look for the perks. A mobile betting site, live betting, and of course, a multitude of bonuses. You should also look for books that have how-to sections and stats centers so that you can get all of your research in one place. All of the legal Maine sports betting sites recommended on this page meet all of these requirements. Just remember the extreme basics – located offshore and licensed by their home country.
Can Online Sportsbooks Be Trusted?
The sad truth of the matter is that not all online sportsbooks can be trusted. So, what you’ll want to do is look for a book that is licensed, regulated, and quality controlled by a gaming commission. You’ll also want to find a book that has great security features, like an SSL. Doing a quick look at their reputation online for payout speeds and other things like that will help narrow down the field of trustworthy sportsbooks as well.
Maine might not be big enough to host a professional franchise, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of fans in this proud state. Maine residents might also be fans of the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, or Boston Celtics. The best part about betting on sports online is that you’re not limited in what they offer you. You can find odds on teams as far away as Australia or as close to home as Massachusetts. Maine is also home to the University of Maine Black Bears, a Division I NCAA program.