Here’s what’s currently available in Maine and what you can expect in the future.
With only two land-based casinos to play at, Mainers often look for alternative options. Unfortunately, the authorization of online gambling is still in the works in the 23rd state. If you want to stay home and enjoy the peace and calm, you can play for sweeps coins.
The best online sweepstakes casinos in Maine are Chumba, High 5 casino, and Pulsz.
Regarding game variety, Chumba casino is the uncrowned king of US sweepstakes casinos. Even though it hosts a smaller collection of titles than other operators, it still offers some of the most beloved slot machines and cool specialty games like bingo and solitaire.
Another reason Mainers enjoy visiting Chumba casino is the abundance of bonus options. The plentiful welcome bonus of 2,000,000 Gold Coins and daily refills await every new player.
Sizzling with hot proprietary games like Dangerous Beauty and Shadow of the Panther, High 5 casino‘s lobby also serves delicious Pragmatic Play titles on the side. The result is one of the best and most grandiose assortment of games on the sweepstakes market—a mouth-watering 800+ items.
Other things that High 5 casino does very well are casino bonus offers and mobile play. You get five Sweeps Coins when you sign up and the opportunity to redeem cash prizes without any deposit.
A prime example of a social casino with limitless fun options is Pulsz casino. With over 700 games from the likes of NetEnt, Habanero, and Pragmatic Play, topped with lavish rewards and fantastic bonuses, this sweepstakes site is one of the best hangouts to visit on a windy Maine weekend.
If you sign up at the Pulsz casino right now, you will receive up to 367,000 Gold Coins and an incredible 32,3 free Sweepstakes Coins to put you in the race for real money prizes.
The Pine Tree State is famous for many reasons, like lobsters and haunted lighthouses. Sadly, gambling is not one of them. While you can visit a casino and play for money in Maine, there are only two gambling establishments in the state. Online casinos are illegal in Maine.
If you’re from Maine or you’re planning a gambling trip, read on to learn more.
Officially, gambling has been legal in parts of Maine since 1988, when the government allowed federally recognized Indian tribes to run casinos on reservation land. Back then, the Indians ran several bingo houses, which no longer exist. There are no tribal casinos in Maine today.
The state’s first and only two commercial casinos opened in 2012. Mainers and guests from out of state are welcome to place a real-money wager in Oxford Casino and Hollywood Casino Bangor. Both are casino resorts with lots of charm and excellent games.
Aside from horse racing betting, which is allowed in Hollywood Casino Bangor, most gambling activities outside the two casinos are illegal in Maine. Despite its 3,478 miles of coastline, the state doesn’t offer riverboat casinos. Charitable gaming like bingo is allowed.
While online gambling continues to be illegal in Maine, the state has authorized online sports betting in late 2023. In only a month since it became legal, it has amassed nearly $40 million. The operators have extended benefits to vendors, Indians, and the state.
Sweepstakes casinos are the only type of online gambling that Maine doesn’t prohibit, mainly because it doesn’t involve real money wagers. The only sweep coins site off limits for Mainers is b spot. You can play slots, table games, and more for virtual tokens like Gold Coins.
As for offshore online casinos, they are available in Maine, but placing a wager there is against state law. It’s for the better, anyway. Most of these operators don’t hold licenses from independent regulatory bodies and cannot guarantee safe and responsible practices.
Maine is less keen on gambling than most US states but shares the East Coast with like-minded neighbors. You generally won’t find many casinos around Pine Tree State and between Maine and New York. There are a couple in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Even though tribal gambling has been legal since 1988, Maine was one of the last US states to open government-regulated casinos in 2012. The decision to authorize online sports betting was a significant step forward for a predominantly liberal Maine, which is now the 38th state to do so.
Like most other states, Maine has no beef with sweepstakes casinos. Playing online games like slots, poker, and bingo for fun is legal in all parts of the US except for Washington and Idaho. You can redeem tokens for real money as long as you don’t have to pay to play.
The Maine state code defines gambling as “staking anything of value on an outcome based on chance for the hope of material gain.” As such, all gambling activities outside of Maine’s two state-regulated casinos are unlawful—classified as a class D crime and punishable by law.
According to the Maine State Constitution, §954. Unlawful gambling, “A person convicted of a violation under this section must forfeit to the State all income associated with that violation.” So, that pretty much ruins the fun.
There isn’t a governing law in Maine that specifically mentions sweepstakes casinos, but the definition of unlawful gambling puts it in a legal category. Sweeps operators don’t require you to stake “anything of value” to win monetary prizes, so these casinos can’t be unlawful.
Whether you’re planning to visit a casino in Maine or want to play a game at one of the sweepstakes sites available there, you must be 21 or older to participate in any gambling activity.
The average sweepstakes casino is an inexhaustible source of slot machines. The best ME sweepstakes casinos offer slots galore. Other popular games in the state include Texas Hold’em, blackjack, good old poker and some platforms offer live dealer games. If you’re a rookie, learn more about each type of casino games below.
Slots are the chameleons of the gambling world, loved for their bright colors and adaptability to multiple skill levels. They are, by far, the most versatile game category you can find. Slot themes, gameplays, and awards are so vastly different that there has to be a sweepstakes slots game waiting just for you.
All your favorite slot machines are at McLuck casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Gambino Slots.
Mainers and their guests from out of state love playing poker. That makes a lot of sense. Poker online is a classic table game that requires strategic finesse, active observation, and plenty of patience, which is a perfect way to stay alert and entertained in a quiet place such as Maine.
The best sweepstakes site to play poker in Maine is Fortune Coins casino.
Blackjack is another excellent way to blow off some steam in Maine. It’s another game of skill and strategic thinking, but it’s not as challenging to master as Texas Hold’em and includes an element of luck. The goal in blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand, which takes some practice.
If you want to hone your blackjack skills, we recommend playing the game at WOW Vegas casino.
Maine may have only two land casinos, but at least sweepstakes options are numerous. There are several factors to consider when choosing the best sweep coins casino in Maine, like game variety, bonus offers, and payment systems. Oh, and let’s not forget about player safety.
The fact is that legality, legitimacy, and concern for players are the most essential qualities in any casino, whether you’re playing for real money or not. For your own sake, you should never share your private information or gambling habits with an unlicensed and unregulated operator.
Other crucial factors to consider when choosing an ME sweepstakes casino are:
Compare Maine with its closest neighbor state
Sweepstakes casinos that provide the best player experience in Maine are Chumba casino, High 5 casino, and Pulsz casino. Other notable Maine sweepstakes sites are Fortune Coins casino, Gambino Slots, and McLuck casino.
Online sweepstakes casinos are legal in Maine—as long as they provide free play. All online gambling sites that require players to place a real-money wager to play are unlawful.
Most ME sweep coin casinos are available throughout the US (except in Washington and Idaho, where sweepstakes are illegal), so it is possible to access them in and outside Maine.
You must be 21 or older to play games on sweepstakes casino sites in Maine. Otherwise, participating in sweepstakes games would be illegal.
Both cash and non-cash gambling winnings are taxable in the state of Maine. If you win over $5,000, you must pay an additional 5% on top of federal tax.
All sweepstakes bonuses are no-deposit bonuses, but the most popular casino-style types at Maine sweepstakes casinos are welcome deals and daily login bonuses.