Add some extra excitement to your Maine vacation by dancing with Lady Luck at one of the state’s gaming and wagering venues. Maine has a long history of gaming entertainment; the first casinos were built in the late 19th century.
These early gaming centers conveniently lined the trolley lines that run through Brunswick and Portland. Gambling once again was legalized in 2004, when Maine voters approved slot machines. In 2010, voters decided to allow a casino to be constructed in Oxford County. Other wagering venues include live harness racing at agricultural fairs, pull-tabs, bingo, and coin boards.
Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway
If you’re looking for one-stop gaming and wagering, the Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway has it. Just outside of downtown Bangor, this stay-and-play destination offers casino gaming, with Vegas-style black jack, slot machines, roulette, and live Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud poker tables. From May through November, the Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway also hosts live harness racing at the former Bangor Raceway, as well as a full schedule of live simulcasts of races from across the United States. The venue has several restaurants and a cocktail lounge.
Hollywood Casino & Raceway, Bangor, Maine. Photo Credit: LittleT889 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95444559Harness Racing
For even more live harness racing excitement, many of Maine’s agricultural fairs allow betting on pari-mutuel races. Most take place from August through October. Venues include:
- Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg
- Cumberland County Fair in Cumberland
- Skowhegan State Fair in Skowhegan
- Northern Maine Fair in Presque Isle
- Topsham Fair in Topsham
- Union Fair in Union
- Windsor Fair in Windsor
- Oxford Fair in Oxford
- Farmington Fair in Farmington
Whether you prefer the excitement of a live harness race, the flash and dazzle of Vegas-style casinos, or the thrill of bingo, Maine has it all!
