Churchill Downs' Oxford Casino Sues Maine Over Exclusive Tribal iGaming Bill

 ^{Churchill Downs has operated the Oxford Casino since 2013, which sits right along Route 26 in Oxford, Maine. (Photo: Barb Sawyer Lifestyles/YouTube)}

Oxford Casino, operated by Churchill Downs, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state's decision to grant its four recognised tribes exclusive rights to offer iGaming.

The Oxford-based property is one of Maine’s two commercial land-based casinos. The lawsuit, filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court for Maine, specifically names Milton Champion, Executive Director of the Gambling Control Unit, as the defendant. Oxford Casino alleges that the bill, dubbed "The Monopoly Law," violates the Equal Protection Clauses found in both the US Constitution and the Maine Constitution.

Oxford Casino Attacks ‘Race-Based Preferences’ in iGaming 

In its filing, Oxford Casino cites both race-based discrimination and the potential for significant revenue and job losses as reasons for its lawsuit.

“Promoting iGaming through race-based preferences deals a gut-wrenching blow to Maine businesses like Oxford Casino that have heavily invested in the State and its people,” the lawsuit reads.

The bill, known as An Act to Create Economic Opportunity for the Wabanaki Nations (LD 1164), allows each of Maine’s four federally recognized tribes to partner with a single third-party operator to offer online casino games statewide. Caesars has pre-existing ties to three of the tribes, and DraftKings has a relationship with the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

The bill was initially opposed by Maine Gov. Janet Mills after it passed the Legislature last year, citing concerns about gambling expansion. She allowed the legislation to languish for months before finally announcing in early January that she would not veto it.

“I considered this bill carefully, and while I have concerns about the impacts of gambling on public health, I believe that this new form of gambling should be regulated,” Governor Mills said in a statement. “I am confident that Maine’s Gambling Control Unit will develop responsible rules and standards to hold providers of this new form of gambling accountable while ensuring that Maine’s tribes benefit from its operations.”

Gambling Regulators, Casinos Opposed Tribal Bill

But the bill faced significant opposition from state regulators and commercial casino operators, including Oxford Casino and Hollywood Casino Bangor.

The Maine Gambling Control Board unanimously sent a note to Governor Mills urging her to veto the legislation, saying that “cutting out Oxford and Hollywood Casinos entirely from offering iGaming is ill-advised and creates a monopoly that is harmful to consumers and the Maine workers employed by Oxford and Hollywood Casinos.”

Maine’s two land-based casinos echoed that sentiment, while tribal leaders called it an important step in their communities' economic development.

The lawsuit also notes that Maine previously granted the Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to offer online sports betting, which launched statewide in November 2023.

According to the legislation, the iGaming bill will take effect 90 days after the end of the 2026 legislative session. However, there has been no indication from the tribes or state gaming officials as to when online casino sites could go live in Maine.