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Maryland Online and Mobile Sports Betting Goes Live With 7 Operators
By Jeff Osienya Nov 25, 2022 IndustryOnline and mobile sports betting finally enters the Old-Line State with seven operators. The debut has taken nearly a year after the launch of retail sports betting and two years after voters okayed gambling expansion on the ballot.Wednesday morning marked a historic day in Maryland after officially entering the online and mobile sports betting market. While a bit late to the party, the activity went live right in time for college and pro football games and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
It has been a two-year wait since Marylanders voted pro referendum to legalize sports betting in the state in November 2020. Later in May 2021, Governor Harry Hogan signed HB 940 into law, and by December 2021, Maryland had launched in-person sports betting.
After that, however, online sports betting took a bit longer due to what Gov. Hogan calls numerous political, bureaucratic, and legal delays. These delays threatened to push the mobile sports betting launch past next year’s super bowl, but thankfully everything worked out in favor of a sooner debut.
Following the online and mobile sports wagering market launch, Governor Larry Hogan noted:
Quote“This process took longer than it should have, but we are excited that this launch is in time for fans to place their bets on all the Thanksgiving Day NFL action, college football rivalry weekend, this week’s slate of NBA games, the 2022 World Cup, and this Sunday’s Ravens and Commanders games. In addition to allowing Marylanders to bet on the NFL, March Madness, and so much more, sports betting is helping us keep these critical dollars in the state and is providing another critical revenue source for Maryland schools. It is anticipated to bring in up to $30 million in revenue next year, and that total is expected to reach nearly $100 million by 2027.”
Revenue collected from mobile sports betting will be used to fund an educational program called the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
Maryland Has Taken a More Consumer-friendly Method
According to Vice President of Business at Rotowire, Max Bichsel, Maryland, the Old-Line State appears to have taken a more calculated approach, unlike its neighboring state, Washington DC. He said:
Quote“With a population over 6M, Maryland not only provides the market with material scale but also will serve as a much-needed alternative to the disastrous sports betting rollout in Washington DC. Residents in the District will now be able to cross the border to Maryland to have access to proper sportsbook options.”
Additionally, Max Bichsel noted that because Maryland’s sports betting market will be highly competitive, bettors should expect to receive lucrative bonuses such as free bet bonuses and deposit matches.
So far, the Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission (SWARC) has already given licenses to ten mobile sports betting operators. Still, the commission is pushing to provide at least 60 licenses in Maryland, with thirty available for in-person sports betting operations.
On the other hand, Washington DC gave Intralot a no-bid contract worth $215 million, monopolizing sports betting in the state. Unfortunately, lack of competition has seen Intralot offer limited bonuses, poor odds offerings, an outdated user interface and many other hiccups.
Seven Sports betting Operators Go Live
Although the Old-Line State’s SWARC cleared ten sportsbook operators last week, only seven successfully completed the performance hurdles and final testing. The seven operators have partnered with existing and regulated land-based sportsbooks where bettors can make in-person bets.
Below are the seven mobile sportsbooks that launched on Wednesday from 9 a.m.:
- 9:00 a.m. – BetRivers, the Riverboat on the Potomac in Charles County operator, was the first to launch its app in Maryland.
- 9:04 a.m. – DraftKings, the Crown MD Online Gaming operator, released a statement announcing they had launched mobile sports betting in Maryland.
- 9:15 a.m. – PointsBet, through their brand ambassador Paige Spiranac announced they are live in Maryland’s sports betting market.
- 9:27 a.m. – Caesars Sportsbook, the operator for Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore and CZR Maryland Sports, confirmed they have officially entered the Maryland market.
- 9:41 a.m. – BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt announced that the retail operator for MGM National Harbor and BetMGM Maryland Sports had gone live in Maryland.
- 9:50 a.m. – In a press release, Barstool Sportsbook, the operator for Hollywood Casino and PENN Maryland, announced they had launched in Maryland. During the mobile launch, Barstool sportsbook noted that it has pledged to donate to the Coppin State University Development Foundation.
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9:58 a.m. – FanDuel, via their Twitter account, announces that they are officially live across Maryland for mobile sports wagering.
The three remaining operators who had already received their online sports betting licenses but were not ready to go live this week are BetParx, Betfred and Fanatics.
As reported by WBAL-TV, John Martin, the Director at Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, noted that Maryland plans to approve 21 more apps before the kickoff of the 2023 football season. At the moment, applications for 11 more sports betting operators are already under review. In addition, Martin encouraged bettors to have a plan and set a budget for betting, and if anyone with problem gambling, they should call 800-GAMBLER to get help.
Bettors should be above 21 years of age and all apps approved to offer mobile sports betting are required to use geo-fencing to exclude bettors outside Maryland from placing wagers. In addition, the state has imposed a 15% tax on corporate profits, while individual winnings are subjected to Maryland’s income taxes.
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