Maine's chief gambling official, Milt Champion, has been handed a one-week unpaid suspension following controversial tweets from his personal account. The posts, made in May and since deleted, contained disparaging remarks about women and a white nationalist group. Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck announced the disciplinary action, which also includes mandatory training on workplace harassment and social media etiquette. Champion will resume his duties on Monday.

In a statement, Champion expressed remorse, acknowledging that his attempts at humor were misjudged and offensive. He apologized for his actions and thanked his team for their work during his absence.

One tweet contained a derogatory term for women after Champion recounted being told that the term "ladies" was inappropriate. The other tweet downplayed the actions of a white nationalist group marching on the U.S. Capitol, suggesting their behavior was less problematic than rioting and looting.

Champion, whose role expanded significantly with the legalization of sports betting in Maine last year, has over 30 years of experience in the gambling industry. He was involved in the establishment of casinos and has served as a regulator in both Florida and Maine.