Find Your Favorite Maine Casinos and Resorts 2026

Maine's two commercial casinos sit at opposite ends of the state, giving visitors in the north and south a convenient option without needing to travel far. Both are full-service properties with hotels, dining, and a solid range of gaming.

• Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway, Bangor -- Maine's first casino, opened in 2005 and operated by PENN Entertainment. The gaming floor features around 800 slot machines, table games, and the only live poker room in the state. Live harness racing runs May through November. The 152-room hotel sits alongside two dining options including Hops House 99.
• Oxford Casino Hotel & Sportsbook, Oxford -- Located in southern Maine around 40 minutes from Portland, Oxford opened in 2012 following approval in a statewide referendum and is operated by Churchill Downs Inc. The 24/7 property offers close to 1,000 slot machines, around 30 table games, a retail sportsbook, and a 107-room hotel. OX Pub serves Maine and New England cuisine on site.

Maine's casino landscape is one of the most straightforward in the country. Two commercial properties, both well-run and visitor-friendly, cover the entire state. There are no tribal casinos, no Class II gaming floors, and no complicated house rules to navigate. What you see is what you get.

Brief History of Casino Gaming in Maine

Maine has always approached gambling expansion cautiously, and the story of how the state arrived at just two casinos is shaped as much by voter referendums and local politics as by any legislative appetite for gaming.

The turning point came in November 2003, when 53% of Maine voters approved slot machines at licensed horse racing tracks. But the measure required a second layer of approval at the local level, and only Bangor said yes. Scarborough, the other candidate city, voted against it, leaving Bangor as the sole permitted location in the state. On the same ballot, voters rejected a separate proposal for a large tribal casino in Sanford, a pattern of supporting limited commercial gaming while resisting expansion that has defined Maine's gambling politics ever since.

Hollywood Slots, as it was then known, opened a temporary facility in a converted Bangor restaurant in 2005 before moving into its permanent home in 2007. Table games didn't arrive until 2012, following a further referendum specific to Penobscot County. Oxford Casino followed the same voter-approved path, clearing a statewide referendum in 2010 after a failed attempt in 2008, and opening its doors in 2012.

Since then, multiple proposals for a third Maine casino, in York County, Lewiston, and Biddeford among others, have all been rejected at the ballot box. Maine's tribes have pursued land-based casino rights for over three decades without success, blocked by the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act. The January 2026 decision to grant the Wabanaki Nations exclusive online casino rights marks the first time the tribes have secured meaningful gaming revenue from casino-style play, even if it remains digital rather than land-based.

Arrival & Entry

Both properties are easy to reach by car and offer free parking. Oxford is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Hollywood operates daily from 8am to 2am. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID as casino operators require guests to be 21 to enter the gaming floor.

Slot Machines

Both casinos offer a strong selection of modern slots. Oxford edges ahead on volume with close to 1,000 machines across a spacious floor, while Hollywood offers around 800. Both properties have high limit areas for players looking for higher denomination play. Oxford runs penny through $5 denominations. Both casinos are smoke-free, which is worth knowing if that matters to you.

Table Games

Oxford carries the stronger table games offering with around 30 live tables including blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and several poker variants. Hollywood has a smaller selection but covers the classics. Both properties use standard house-banked table games, with none of the ante fee structure you would encounter in tribal gaming states.

Poker Rooms

If poker is on your agenda, Hollywood Casino in Bangor is your only option. It is the sole live poker room in Maine, with four tables running Thursday through Sunday. Texas Hold'em is the primary game, with Omaha available on demand. Oxford has no poker room.

Taking a Break

Hollywood's Hops House 99 is the main dining option, with harness racing on the adjacent track running May through November, a genuine added attraction that gives the property a character Oxford can't match. Oxford counters with OX Pub, which leans into Maine and New England cuisine, plus a 24-hour express food option. Both hotels are comfortable and well-reviewed, with Hollywood offering 152 rooms and Oxford 107.

Sports Betting

Oxford Casino has a retail sportsbook on site. Hollywood does not. Mobile sports betting is available state-wide through the four Wabanaki Nations, who hold exclusive mobile wagering rights under Maine's 2022 sports betting law.

If gambling stops being fun, help is available. Maine's problem gambling helpline is 211, available 24/7 by call or text (text your zip code to 898-211). The national 1-800-GAMBLER line routes Maine callers directly to local 211 specialists.

Self-exclusion is administered by the Maine Gambling Control Board and covers all casinos and sports wagering operators statewide. Exclusion periods are 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, or lifetime, and the process can be completed online through AdCare Maine at adeptme.org. Anyone who enters a casino while on the list may be arrested for trespassing and forfeits any winnings to the state.

Free counseling is available through AdCare's Gambling Addiction Treatment Network. As of 2025, any Maine resident is eligible for four no-cost sessions, with ongoing treatment covered if cost is a barrier.

Legal Disclaimer

Casino gambling in Maine is regulated by the Maine Gambling Control Board. Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway and Oxford Casino Hotel & Sportsbook are the only licensed commercial casinos in the state. The minimum gambling age at both properties is 21.

Maine has no tribal casinos. The 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act placed the Wabanaki Nations under state jurisdiction, placing them outside the federal framework that enables tribal gaming elsewhere.

Sports betting retail is available at Oxford Casino. Mobile sports betting is operated exclusively by the four Wabanaki Nations under state license. Online casino platforms, also exclusively tribal, were authorized in January 2026 but were not yet live at time of publication.

Gambling winnings may be subject to federal and state tax obligations. Policies, hours, and offerings are subject to change. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.