Tension between Maine casino inspectors and their boss reaches boiling point

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine has nine inspectors at two casinos to ensure gambling runs smoothly and legally, but a recent change to pull them from shifts two days per week brought to light their deteriorating relationship with the state’s top gambling regulator.

Though the inspectors claim Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milt Champion has created a hostile work environment and retaliated against them for airing concerns, the broader dispute centers around how much authority Champion has helped to give himself over the board tasked with overseeing gaming in Maine.

The tense situation is compounded by Champion taking heat last month from Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, over how Maine has still not launched in-person sports betting at Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino two years after lawmakers approved it in a compromise giving the Wabanaki tribes online control of the lucrative market .

The Maine Service Employees Association, the state employee union, said it has met with Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck and filed grievances over inspectors experiencing retaliation and hostility but added it could not share the complaints because they are pending.

Champion, hired in 2016 under former Gov. Paul LePage, did not respond to requests for comment, nor did spokespeople for Gov. Janet Mills. Champion came to Maine from Florida , where he led that state’s pari-mutuel wagering division before claiming then-Gov. Rick Scott’s administration asked him to resign for not supporting betting on rodeo-style barrel racing .

The union is pushing to ensure inspectors can “continue providing the same high level of public service to our state’s residents and casinos that they have for many years,” President Mark Brunton said.

The inspectors sent Baldacci a letter earlier in June outlining a toxic workplace and “extremely questionable ethics” under Champion. Inspectors also said in interviews Champion changed their schedules to have the casinos alone — and not them as well — watch for irregular casino transactions on Sundays and Mondays and removed their holiday and overtime pay.

Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, who sponsored an internet gaming bill meant to aid the Wabanaki Nations that died between chambers this year, said the Legislature does not have authority over the labor complaints directed at Champion.

But Supica added she has spoken with Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, about how the Government Oversight Committee he co-chairs could explore those issues, as it did with accusations of a toxic culture within the office of Maine’s fire marshal.

Inspectors said they are concerned Champion holds more power over the board and mentioned Champion returned to the job last year after he was suspended without pay for one week for tweeting a sexist slur.

Gambling Control Board Chair Steve Silver said he could not comment on active grievances but added some of the union complaints will come up Tuesday during the board’s next meeting .

Alluding to the 2022 law that gave tribes the exclusive rights to operate mobile sports betting in Maine, Silver said lawmakers decided to put sports betting under the Gambling Control Unit’s control rather than the board at the request of tribes and bill sponsors, not Champion.

Baldacci, who is seeking public records from the state on the sports betting rollout, said if the grievances and allegations are found to be true, Champion should “be well-advised to resign.”

BDN writer Michael Shepherd contributed to this report.