ALFRED – A judge ruled Thursday that supporters of plans for an Indian casino in southern Maine can continue gathering signatures on petitions aimed at forcing a statewide referendum on casino gambling in Maine.

Opponents had sought to block supporters from pushing ahead with their referendum campaign.

After an hour-long hearing in York County Superior Court, Justice G. Arthur Brennan denied the request for a temporary restraining order.

However, Brennan decided to revisit the matter in two weeks and decide whether the wording of the referendum question is acceptable.

“We’re gratified the court is willing to hear our case,” Dennis Bailey, who is working with the anti-casino effort, said after the hearing.

The opposition group Casinos No filed a lawsuit claiming that the wording of the referendum question approved by the secretary of state is misleading and does not adequately describe legislation that would allow a casino.

The suit says the question suggests there would be a benefit to the state in the form of education funding and municipal revenue sharing when there is no guarantee that would happen or in what amount.

Casinos No is asking that the question be declared void, and that casino supporters be prohibited from gathering signatures for the referendum drive until there can be public hearings and more review of the proposal.

Lawyers for the pro-casino group Think About It filed a court motion Thursday asking that the opponents’ suit be dismissed.

The Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation have proposed building a $500 million casino and resort in southern Maine. Casino gambling is now illegal in Maine.

If casino supporters can gather an estimated 50,000 signatures by mid-February, the question would go before voters in November 2003 unless it is enacted into law before then.

At Thursday’s hearing, attorneys for casino advocates told Brennan they would be harmed irreparably if they are not allowed to collect voter signatures at polling places next Tuesday.

Casino opponents countered that the casino proposal surfaced last spring and that its supporters had made the decision themselves to put off organizing the referendum until shortly before the Nov. 5 election.