A bipartisan group of lawmakers met to discuss an amendment to a bill that would legalize mobile sports betting

Augusta, Maine (WABI) - A bipartisan group of lawmakers met earlier today to discuss an amendment to a bill that would legalize mobile sports betting.

The bill is a compromise between the Mills Administration and the four Wabanaki tribes which would give the tribes exclusive licenses to run mobile sports betting, something they say is long overdue.

But State Senator Joe Baldacci of Bangor and other lawmakers want to amend the bill saying as it is now, it would create division and their proposal would be a win-win for everyone.

The group’s proposal would allow casinos like Bangor’s Hollywood Casino to also get mobile licenses, and would give the tribes 6% of all the mobile sports betting revenue in Maine.

The Amendment’s supporters say more competition would benefit what would be a brand new market.

“What we’re talking about and what the senators amendment does is, it actually helps the tribes and that’s what some people are trying to point this out as, there is one bill over the other, favoring the tribes and that is not true,” Senator Brad Farrin said, “We included the tribes in 1352. Senator Baldacci’s amendment includes them but actually makes the sharing of that higher. So we hope that that’s where this will go.”

The senators say the amendment helps the tribes.

But, the tribes disagree, saying the original bill came from negotiations with the Mills Administration over steps toward sovereignty, and that this proposed amendment defeats that purpose.

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