Maine casino inspectors have signed a letter expressing distrust in the head of the state’s gaming regulator, saying they worked in a toxic environment and questioned the regulator’s ability to properly regulate casinos under his leadership.

The letter was made public Wednesday along with a statement in which the union representing the inspectors criticized Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milton Champion. The union said all nine casino inspectors who work for the state signed the letter.

Milton’s Master. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal, file

“We must make clear that Milton Champion has repeatedly demonstrated disrespect for our rights and procedures outlined in our union contract, has repressed us individually and as a group, and has created a deeply dysfunctional and toxic work environment,” the letter reads.

Champion did not respond to an email or phone message left with the Gambling Control Unit Wednesday. The unit is an office of the Maine Department of Public Safety, and Shannon Moss, a department spokeswoman, said Wednesday afternoon that the department had not received the letter. “If we do, we will review it,” Moss said.

The letter is not addressed to anyone in particular. Frankie St. Amand, a representative for the Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 Service Employees International Union, said the letter is primarily targeted at state legislators and other interested parties, as well as the Maine Gambling Control Board and the department, which St. Amand said is already aware of the issues raised in the letter.

She said inspectors are seeking Champion’s removal. “They believe he is incapable of competently leading the department,” St. Amand said.

The inspectors who signed the letter work at Oxford Casino in Oxford and Hollywood Casino in Bangor. They say Champion, who has served as executive director since 2016, “has actively demonstrated a desire to deregulate casinos in Maine without voter input and with little to no guidance to our casino partners on how to conduct business.”

They further alleged that Champion circumvented the oversight of the Maine Gambling Control Board by making unilateral decisions.

They said they have pending complaints filed over Champion’s refusal to pay them properly, retaliation and violations of their collective bargaining agreement with the state. They said Champion has refused to continue negotiations for changes to schedules and pay.

“This inaction has undermined the trust between employees and the department and has emboldened Milton Champion to continue the toxic work environment he created,” the letter reads.

A press release from the union highlighted the scheduling changes, which inspectors say make it impossible to conduct inspections of Maine casinos on Sundays and Mondays.

“Mr. Champion does not listen or hear (inspectors’) concerns about scheduling changes that have left Maine casinos unattended on Sundays and Mondays,” Mark Brunton, president of Local 1989, said in a statement.

“Casino gambling in Maine was a very controversial issue in the state of Maine in 2003 when it was passed by voters and legalized. One of the concerns was making sure it was well-regulated to protect the citizens of Maine. That’s an important role that our inspectors play. They have to be on site when casinos are open.”

Steven Silver, chairman of the Gambling Control Board, which regulates casino table games and slot machines, as well as rules for wagering on deposits, said in an interview that he saw the letter Wednesday morning.

Silver said the board has been working for months to try to fix the problems surrounding the schedule change. He said the board’s rules clearly require an on-site inspector to respond to certain things, such as large jackpot payouts and new machine deliveries. He said the board was not involved in the change, but it prompted casinos to seek guidance.

Silver said he has concerns about the decision made with the schedule change, but he doesn’t know if the change was made unilaterally by Champion or if it will require negotiations with the union.

“To date, from a purely operational perspective, everything has been going very smoothly and very profitably under Champion’s leadership,” Silver said.

He said he has heard complaints about a hostile work environment and “hiring issues” but that personnel decisions are up to the Department of Public Safety, not the board. And he said he was unsure what, if any, action the board might take in response to the letter.

“I don’t know what our options are,” Silver said. “I think we’ll consult with our attorney and see what, if anything, we can do, but I’m not sure what, short of passing some kind of resolution, we could do. As far as actual action, I don’t know what our options are yet.”

A spokesman for Gov. Janet Mills did not respond Wednesday to a phone message or email asking whether Mills was aware of the letter and whether she shared concerns about Champion as executive director.

The issues raised by inspectors are not the first to arise with Champion’s leadership.

In May 2023, Champion was removed from his position after posting tweets containing sexist content and racist connotations.

In one tweet, Champion expressed frustration at being told that “ladies” was an unprofessional term for women and suggested using the profanity as a more appropriate alternative. In another, he responded to a video showing protesters from the Patriot Front, a white nationalist group, marching in Washington, D.C., writing, “At least they’re not burning down cities and looting stores.”

Champion has been suspended for a week without payment for tweets.

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