Problematic social media posts have placed the chief Maine sports betting regulator on the sidelines, with the possible to delay the state’s rollout.
The Maine Gambling Manage Unit placed executive director Milton Champion on paid leave final week, as very first reported by the Portland Press Herald. The action follows two social media posts this month with reportedly sexist and racist undertones.
The indefinite leave comes as the MGCU is in its second public comment period for ME sports betting guidelines. Champion lately told LSR it would be at least till January 2024 for a launch. That timeline is now in query.
Champion’s social media difficulties
The social media posts in query came from Champion’s Twitter account, @EDRegulator, which has 66 followers. He deleted the tweets.
The very first came on May perhaps six as Champion lamented following getting told “ladies” was an unprofessional term. “In this day and age, I guess Bitches’ is greater,” Champion tweeted.
The second came on May perhaps 14, when he responded to a tweet displaying a video of Patriot Front members marching in Washington with “At least they are not burning down cities and looting shops.” The Anti-Defamation League lists Patriot Front as a white supremacist group.
How will this impact Maine sports betting?
The MGCU released its second batch of proposed regulations final week. Stakeholders need to submit comments by June 16, but beyond that, the circumstance is murky, according to Maine Gambling Manage Board chairman Steven Silver.
“I’m hoping to have far more clarity about the circumstance just before comments are due,” Silver stated, declining to comment especially on the Champion circumstance. “That will deliver a clearer image as to no matter whether there will be any delays.”
Champion previously told LSR if the MGCU moves forward with this draft, a launch by January 2024 is attainable. With Champion out, lately hired deputy director Matthew Motti is at the agency’s helm.
Exactly where Maine sports betting sits
Gov. Janet Mills signed sports betting into law in spring 2022 following quite a few years of legalization attempts, like a single work which Mills vetoed. Champion released the very first set of draft guidelines in January, getting far more than 500 comments.
Regardless of the considerable feedback, Champion stated he would not overhaul the guidelines and would continue to take the course of action gradually.
The director did, having said that, ease on the marketing regulations that initially necessary him to approve all Television advertisements.
Maine sportsbook ecosystem
There will be handful of selections for sports bettors in Maine anytime the sector gets off the ground. The 4 tribes in the state manage on the web access, 3 of whom have partnered with Caesars.
The Sports Betting Alliance stated Maine’s income-sharing agreement with tribes would hold member apps out of the state. SBA members contain BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel.
BetMGM has, having said that, partnered with quite a few OTBs in the state for in-individual sports betting. Churchill Downs Inc. and Penn Entertainment also run casinos in the state, which means TwinSpires and Barstool in-individual sportsbooks are probably.