The Head of the Maine Gambling Control Unit in Trouble Again
Milton Champion, the head of the Maine Gambling Control Unit, is again facing scrutiny after a recent vote from casino inspectors.
Head of the Maine Gambling Control Unit, Milton Champion, in hot water.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:In a letter sent to the MGCU, all nine casino inspectors throughout Maine signed off on a “no confidence” vote against him. The inspectors cited a toxic workplace and concern over the MGCU to oversee casino operations.
Main Concerns of Inspectors
The inspectors said that Champion provided minimal guidance to casino partners on ways to ensure compliance with laws and gambling regulations.
Despite the significant expansion of gambling within our great state, our current Executive Director, Milton Champion, has actively demonstrated an eagerness to deregulate casinos in Maine without input from the voting public and with little-to-no guidance to our casino partners on how to conduct business while remaining compliant with gambling rules and statutes.
This vote of no confidence comes after Champion was suspended without pay in May 2023 for a Twitter post. Champion apologized for the incident and returned to work after an investigation.
The inspectors claimed a lack of respect from Champion as well as provided examples of issues they allege led to their vote, including the following:
● Ignoring the contractual rights of inspectors;
● Retaliatory actions against inspectors;
● Hostile work environment;
● Disputes over payments;
● Committing multiple violations of contract terms;
● Scheduling changes that undermined casino oversight, including refusal for inspections on Sundays and Mondays.
More Regulation News
Retail Casinos Remain the Only Option in Maine
As of now, casino play in Maine will remain at retail locations. Casino laws were passed in 2003, and they were highly contentious, according to Mark Brunton, the president of the labor union Local 1989.
“Casino gambling in Maine was a highly contentious issue in Maine in 2003 when it was passed by voters and legalized. One of the concerns was ensuring it was well-regulated to protect the citizens of Maine. That’s the important role that our inspectors play. They need to be on the job whenever the casinos are open.”
Online casino legislation didn’t pass earlier this year, and now residents will have to wait until 2025 to see if it does.
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