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LD 1490

An Act To Allow Nonprofit Organizations To Sell Progressive Pull-Tab Games And To Offer Partner-Assisted Beano And To Establish New Guidelines For The Expansion Of Gambling

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Nicole Grohoski

Authorizes nonprofits to offer progressive sealed-ticket games and partner-assisted beano; updates gambling rules with DPS Gambling Control Unit oversight; minor fiscal impact.

Became Law without Governor's Signature
#gambling #gamesofchance #nonprofitorganizations
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Bill Summary · LD 1490

Summary — LD 1490 (132nd Maine Legislature)

Title: An Act To Allow Nonprofit Organizations To Sell Progressive Pull‑Tab Games and To Offer Partner‑Assisted Beano and To Establish New Guidelines For The Expansion Of Gambling
Status: Became law without the Governor’s signature (Emergency measure) — enacted June 25, 2025
Introduced: April 8, 2025
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs (Committee Amendment "A" (S‑306) adopted)
Bill tracking: LR 2385 (versions 02 and 03)

Purpose

LD 1490 authorizes certain additional gambling activities for nonprofit organizations (commonly operators of charitable games of chance in Maine), specifically permitting progressive sealed‑ticket games (as enacted) and partner‑assisted beano, and establishes new statutory guidelines related to the expansion of gambling. The intent is to expand the types of games nonprofit groups may offer while setting out related regulatory parameters.

Key provisions

  • Authorizes nonprofit organizations to offer progressive sealed‑ticket games (committee amendment changed earlier language referring to “progressive pull‑tabs” to “progressive sealed‑ticket games” in the engrossed version).
  • Authorizes partner‑assisted beano (a variant of charitable beano/bingo in which a partner may assist players).
  • Establishes (or modifies) statutory guidelines for the expansion of gambling in Maine — the legislative summary and available documents indicate new guidance is added but do not include the full statutory text in the fiscal documents provided.
  • Directs implementation and oversight changes to be handled by the Gambling Control Unit within the Department of Public Safety (GPU/DPS) to accommodate new game types and related rules.

Who is affected

  • Nonprofit organizations that conduct charitable games of chance (may gain new revenue opportunities and program flexibility).
  • Players/customers of nonprofit game events (new game formats available).
  • The Gambling Control Unit (Department of Public Safety) — responsible for updating rules, oversight and enforcement.
  • Potentially other stakeholders in Maine’s gambling ecosystem (local governments, other gaming operators), depending on the scope of the new guidelines for expansion.

Fiscal impact

  • Fiscal notes (approved 6/3/25 and 6/10/25 for different versions) report a minor cost increase to Other Special Revenue Funds.
  • Any additional costs to the Gambling Control Unit to adopt and implement the changes are expected to be minor and absorbable within existing budgeted resources.

Legislative and procedural highlights

  • Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee (4/8/2025); work session (4/24); committee recommended OTP‑AM (4/24, reported 6/6).
  • Committee Amendment "A" (S‑306) adopted in the Legislature (6/9/2025).
  • Passed as an emergency measure requiring a two‑thirds vote; final legislative actions occurred 6/9–6/11.
  • Became law without the Governor’s signature on June 25, 2025. As an emergency enactment, provisions took effect upon enactment.

Implementation notes and considerations

  • The Gambling Control Unit will need to revise administrative rules, forms and compliance procedures to regulate progressive sealed‑ticket games and partner‑assisted beano.
  • Nonprofits seeking to offer the new games will be subject to the existing licensing, reporting and oversight regime for charitable games of chance, as modified by the enacted provisions.
  • The fiscal impact is expected to be minimal for state regulators; nonprofits may experience modest increased revenues depending on uptake.

(If you would like, I can prepare a plain‑language explanation of “progressive sealed‑ticket” and “partner‑assisted beano,” or draft an implementation checklist for nonprofits or regulators.)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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