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U.S. online casinos had a busy week, with one state making progress on iGaming legalization and another taking a seeming step backward. A Maine casino is upset that it doesn’t get a slice of the online gambling market, while Michigan enjoyed a record-breaking revenue month in December.
Oxford casino challenges Maine iGaming laws
Soon after Gov. Janet Mills allowed online casinos in Maine, Oxford Casino, one of two non-tribal casinos in the state, sued the state over what it calls “race-based monopoly” decisions about who can offer iGaming. Maine’s new online casino laws allow only federally recognized tribes to offer online casino gaming, excluding non-tribal entities like Oxford Casino.
In a statement given to a Maine NBC affiliate, William Nicholas, chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, noted that Oxford had previously benefited from the state’s casino monopoly, which blocked tribes from operating brick-and-mortar casinos.
“To me, this is an attack on good government-to-government economic development,” Nicholas said. “It’s very hypocritical of them, given the monopoly the casinos have had in this state for over 25 years.”
Virginia online casino bill moves forward
A bill to legalize online casinos in Virginia has passed one committee and is headed to another. Bills typically move through at least one committee before reaching the House or Senate floor for a vote.
As currently written, the legislation would require operators to pay roughly $2.5 million in upfront fees to run an iGaming site and impose a 15% tax on online casinos’ adjusted gross gaming revenue.
Mississippi voters reject online casinos
A recent poll by the National Association Against iGaming found that Mississippi residents overwhelmingly oppose online casinos. About 81% of voters said they are against online casinos, citing concerns about 24/7 access to gambling via phones and other devices.
“This data proves that online gambling is a product Mississippi simply does not want,” Oliver Barie, the association’s government relations director, said. “When residents envision what this policy means in practice—the ‘casino in your pocket’ at all hours—they move decisively away from legalization.”
Michigan online casinos hit revenue record
Michigan online casinos closed out 2025 with record-breaking revenue, surpassing $295 million for the first time in state history. Online casinos finished December with $296.7 million in winnings, signaling the state could become the first in the country to generate at $300 million or more in iGaming revenue.
The relaunch of the Hannahville Indian Community’s online casino boosted revenue, with the new platform generating $33.5 million in December. Based on trends from 2024, Michigan online casinos could exceed the $300 million mark as soon as March.
