A Maine lawmaker is introducing a bill to the state house to remove credit cards as a payment option for online betting services.
Biddeford Representative Marc Malon, who is serving his second term in the Maine House of Representatives, is hoping to bring the state in line with more mature markets.
Malon cites debt risks of credit card gambling
Credit cards are not permitted for gambling in more mature regulated markets, including the UK. Since April 14, 2020, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has banned gambling businesses from accepting credit card payments for online or land-based betting, casino, and bingo transactions.
As of late 2025, at least eight U.S. states have banned the use of credit cards. They are Tennessee, Iowa, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Illinois. However, other states are in the process of limiting the practice, including Maine.
Malon believes the ability to incur debt to credit card companies at devastating interest is a real threat to the economic stability of bettors in the state, especially those who are at risk of developing an addiction.
He said: “So there are limits and guardrails for that form of gambling already, and when you’re placing wager on your mobile app, if it is using a debit card or linked to your bank account, you still face a lot of risk potentially if you gamble, but there’s a natural limit. When you run out of money, you’re done. Whereas when you use a credit card, you run the risk of incurring a boatload of debt.”
Critics of the move caution that restricting credit cards could push some players toward unregulated platforms, potentially increasing financial and personal risks rather than reducing them.
Studies link credit cards to higher gambling losses
Malon referred to 2020 research by Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO) in a paper called The Role of Credit Cards in Gambling, which found “the evidence reviewed suggests that credit card use during gambling may be potentially problematic.”
The study found that allowing credit card payments is linked to higher betting spend, increased levels of compulsive gambling, and more severe financial harm, because it enables players to accumulate debt more easily.
Last year, a statewide summary found about 2.2% of Maine adults meet the criteria for a gambling problem, meaning their gambling negatively affects their lives.
Maine’s self-exclusion program allows residents to voluntarily ban themselves from all licensed gambling activities, helping individuals manage problem gambling and limit their financial and personal risk. To register, they must visit a Maine Gambling Control Board office, or one of several community locations where trained staff help with the process.
Individuals then fill out and sign the official Self‑Exclusion Request Form, present government‑issued ID, and have a photo taken so their name can be added to the state’s exclusion list..
Maine sports betting handle increases 15% year-on-year, figures show
The move to restrict credit card payments in the Pine Tree State comes as the sports betting market continues to explode. The latest figures show the sports betting handle for 2025 in Maine stands at a massive $601.9 million.
Governor Janet Mills signed a bill into law legalizing online betting on May 2, 2022, officially authorizing both retail and mobile wagering in the state. Online sports betting platforms went live on November 3, 2023, when major operators like Caesars and DraftKings began accepting wagers under the new legal framework.
Since going live, the industry has raised millions in taxes. The latest figures, compiled over the course of 2024, showed $5,849,814 sent to state coffers.
State tax revenues from legalized betting are paid into the General Fund. From there, the money is allocated through the state budget to fund core public services such as education, healthcare, public safety, transportation, and local government support.
In the case of sports betting, tax proceeds also help cover regulatory and enforcement costs through the Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU).
Online casinos in Maine to become legal under Wabanaki tribes
Earlier this month, Maine Governor Janet Mills said she will allow a tribal-exclusive online casino bill to become law, reversing her administration’s previous opposition and putting the state on track to become the eighth in the US to legalize iGaming.
The state’s four tribes will have sealed-off access to online casinos through LD 1164, despite opposition from the MGCU, and will operate at an effective 18% tax rate.
Mills highlighted her pledge to improve the livelihoods of tribal communities as a reason for her decision. She said: “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.
“I am confident that the MGCU 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. It has always been my strong desire to work with tribal leaders to improve the lives and livelihoods of the Wabanaki Nations, and it is my hope that this new revenue will do just that.”
