Maine Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports are legal in Maine, and all operators must acquire licenses from the Gambling Control Unit before offering real-money contests to the public.

Several name-brand fantasy sports operators are active in Maine and accept customers 18 or older. As such, fans have a good but not extensive variety of regulated DFS apps to choose from.

Under state law, all Maine fantasy sports sites must implement specific protocols to protect customer funds, ensure fair contests, and encourage responsible play.

Continue below for all the details, including updates on the status of fantasy pick ‘em apps like PrizePicks and Underdog Fantasy

Daily fantasy sports are legal in Maine, and all operators must acquire licenses from the Gambling Control Unit before offering real-money contests to the public.

Several name-brand fantasy sports operators are active in Maine and accept customers 18 or older. As such, fans have a good but not extensive variety of regulated DFS apps to choose from.

Under state law, all Maine fantasy sports sites must implement specific protocols to protect customer funds, ensure fair contests, and encourage responsible play. Continue below for all the details, including updates on the status of fantasy pick ‘em apps like PrizePicks and Underdog Fantasy.

Maine Fantasy Sports Sites

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Four daily fantasy sports apps are licensed in Maine and available to customers 18 or older:

The Maine daily fantasy sports industry offered more choice in the past, but restrictions on pick ‘em fantasy contests and a 10% tax on revenue have resulted in all but the most prominent operators exiting the market.

Fortunately, high-profile operators tend to be the best bet for the average daily fantasy sports player. The most popular fantasy sports apps have earned their places in the US DFS hierarchy because they deliver the experience (most) fans want: straightforward contest rules, minimal learning curves, large prizes, frequent DFS bonuses, and fast payouts.

Just as importantly, Maine fantasy sports apps licensed by the Gambling Control Unit (GCU) have demonstrated compliance with critical consumer protection regulations, including:

  • Preventing athletes and DFS employees from participating in DFS contests
  • Providing customers with access to information about and help with problem gambling
  • Limiting every customer to one account
  • Segregating customers’ funds from operational funds
  • Undergoing annual compliance audits

Maine Fantasy Pick’em Apps

Fantasy pick’em sports contests are prohibited in Maine.

The prohibition process began in July 2023 when the Maine Gambling Control Unit (GCU) warned Underdog Fantasy that it was investigating the legality of Underdog’s fantasy pick’em contests.

Underdog Fantasy continued operating in Maine throughout the investigation but remained in touch with the GCU.

Despite lengthy discussions between Underdog and the GCU, the investigation concluded that fantasy pick’em contests violate Maine fantasy sports law.

The GCU also ordered Underdog Fantasy to cease offering pick’em-style contests and to pay a $391,850 fine, representing a $50 fine for each of the 7,837 customers it served in Maine between 2021 and 2023.

Underdog Fantasy paid the fine, retained its Maine fantasy sports license, and continued offering other types of DFS contests for a while. However, Underdog Fantasy and four similarly impacted operators chose not to renew their Maine DFS licenses during the subsequent renewal window.

There are no indications that Maine will reverse its stance on the legality of fantasy pick ‘em contests. In January 2025, lawmakers introduced legislation to explicitly prohibit fantasy pick ‘em contests or any contest that “has the effect of mimicking a proposition bet.”

Maine Daily Fantasy Sports Law

Maine legalized daily fantasy sports in 2017 via LD 1320.

The bill exempted DFS contests from existing gambling laws, instituted a licensing requirement, established consumer protection regulations, and granted the Maine Gambling Control Unit (GCU) oversight powers.

The GCU adopted additional regulations to implement and enforce the law. Readers can see Maine’s daily fantasy laws and supplemental regulations in full below:

Below is a brief overview of Maine’s key DFS rules.

Operators that wish to offer daily fantasy sports in Maine must apply for licenses from the Gambling Control Unit and provide the following:

  • Information about individuals and entities with ownership interests of at least 5%
  • Audited financial statements spanning the last three years
  • Internally prepared financial statements for the current year as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter
  • Notarized consent to criminal background checks on the applicant, its officers, directors, and 5%+ shareholders
  • Copies of internal controls related to customer identity verification, the protection of customers’ funds, the handling of customer complaints, and more
  • One-time application fee of $5,000 for the business entity and $2,500 for each partner, officer, director, or shareholder

Note: If the application fee exceeds the cost of reviewing the application and investigating the applicant, the excess amount shall be applied to the operator’s initial licensing fee or refunded to operators that qualify for no-fee licenses

Operators approved for licenses are subject to the following fees and taxes:

  • $2,500 initial and annual licensing fee for operators with in-state revenue of $100,000 or more
  • No fee for operators with in-state revenue below $100,000
  • 10% tax on in-state revenue for operators with in-state revenue of $100,000 or more

State law requires fantasy sports sites in Maine to protect customers’ identities, safeguard their funds, and ensure fair gaming. Specifically, all licensed DFS operators must:

  • Detect and prevent the use of proxy servers used to conceal customers’ physical locations
  • Use technologically and commercially reasonable means to detect multiple logins in the same account from different geographic locations
  • Identify highly experienced players on the platform to other players
  • Offer contests open to beginners only
  • Prohibit the use of third-party scripts
  • Use reasonable means to detect, deter, and prevent cheating and manipulation of DFS contests
  • Prohibit athletes, team employees, league officials, and the employees of DFS companies and their same-household relatives from participating in DFS contests
  • Maintain cash reserves that exceed the total sum of entry fees and any other funds on deposit; reserves must be segregated from fantasy sites’ operational funds
  • Maintain records of contestant accounts for at least five years
  • Submit annual reports to the Gambling Control Unit
  • Undergo annual compliance audits conducted by third parties

Fantasy sports sites in Maine must ensure all advertisements meet the following standards:

  • No inaccurate or misleading statements about the likelihood of winning
  • Do not target or depict minors
  • Include statements explaining that customers under 18 are prohibited
  • Avoid directly marketing to customers who have self-excluded from DFS contests
  • Include links or hotlines for problem gambling assistance
  • Not imply endorsement by anyone under 18

Maine Fantasy Sports FAQ

Yes. Maine legalized and regulated daily fantasy sports in 2017.

No. The Maine Gambling Control Unit does not issue licenses to operators that offer fantasy pick ‘em contests.

Players must be 18 or older to register for accounts with fantasy sports sites in Maine.

Yes. Maine daily fantasy sports winnings are subject to state and federal income taxes.