Admin November 15, 2024
Maryland sports betting updates
Two years after voters approved the practice via a referendum, legal online sports betting in Maryland went live. Seven Maryland sports betting apps “soft” launched on Nov. 21, 2022, and officially commenced mobile operations on Nov. 23, 2022.
Read about more notable moments in Maryland sports betting and gambling history here:
Nov. 13, 2024: Maryland sports betting handle reaches a new high of $593M in October, additionally up over 11% month-to-month, compared to September.
Oct. 1, 2024: Baltimore Raven’s quarterback Lamar Jackson vents his frustration with sports bettors on social media, asking fans to stop harassing players during games.
Sept 27, 2024: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission proposed new rules for sportsbooks. One of them could result in losing free bet deductions.
Sept. 10, 2024: Maryland sportsbooks earn fifth-straight double-digit monthly hold, generating $39.2 million in revenue from $377.2 million in total wagers.
Aug. 14, 2024: Maryland is the 12th market to eclipse $1 billion in all-time sports betting revenue.
July 29, 2024: Bally Bet goes live in Maryland, making 12 total online sportsbooks active in the state.
July 22, 2024: SuperBook Sports pulls out of eight post-PASPA states, including Maryland.
July 11, 2024: Maryland sportsbooks post a double-digit hold for the third straight month, notching a 10.3% hold on a $384.7 million handle in June.
July 1, 2024: LetsBetMD launches in Maryland. The Bee-Fee-powered sports betting platform is the 12th such product to enter the Old Line State.
June 10, 2024: Maryland sportsbooks record their second-highest monthly revenue profits ever, taking in more than $50 million in May.
May 13, 2024: Maryland’s sports betting revenue climbs in April while handle remains strong.
April 11, 2024: Maryland sportsbook see March rebound despite the state’s poor NCAA tournament showing, where both local schools lost in the first round.
April 9, 2024: The proposal that would have authorized voters to legalize real money Maryland online casinos failed, closing the iCasino door until 2027.
March 18, 2024: Maryland House passes iGaming bill in time for “crossover day” and now heads to the state Senate, which has until April 8th to make a decision.
March 15, 2024: Maryland House of Delegates is still debating the state’s iGaming bill — HB 1319 — ahead of upcoming vote.
March 12, 2024: Maryland’s sports betting handles sees a 30% YoY increase in February, bringing in $442.5 million.
March 4, 2024: Maryland ends college players prop wagering due to harassment concerns, says the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. This bet type will be pulled from the state’s sports betting catalog as of March 1, 2024.
Feb. 13, 2024: Maryland revenue hits an all-time high in January, reporting $55 million was earned from sports wagers.
Jan. 19, 2024: The PointsBet app will stop accepting wagers in Maryland on Jan. 30, 2024, in an attempt to draw more Old Line State bettors to its parent operator, Fanatics Sportsbook.
Nov. 14, 2023: ESPN BET goes live with online and mobile sports betting, launching in Maryland and 16 other states.
Nov. 2, 2023: ESPN BET plans to launch on Nov. 14, 2023, with online sports betting going live in 17 U.S. states, including Maryland.
Oct. 10, 2023: The revenue of Maryland online betting sites rises to $442.4 million in September, per Maryland Lottery and Gaming.
Sept. 29, 2023: Canton Gaming LLC receives a retail sports betting license for the Greene Turtle Restaurant in Towson. The partnership is with Parx Interactive Maryland Inc.
Sept. 1, 2023: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission issues a sports wagering facility license to Canton Gaming and its operating partner,
Aug. 16, 2023: WynnBET officially withdraws from Maryland, having not yet gone live after receiving a sports betting license in December of 2022.
Aug. 16, 2023: Fanatics Sportsbook ends its beta testing in Maryland and is fully live.
Aug. 11, 2023: betPARX online sportsbook goes live in Maryland.
July 27, 2023: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission approves amendments to legal sports betting regulations, including college partnerships
July 13, 2023: The Old Line State welcomes its 11th online sportsbook as Crab Sports launches in Maryland.
June 1, 2023: Fanatics Sportsbook goes live in Maryland, making it the 10th mobile operator in the state.
May 17, 2023: Gov. Wes Moore signs Senate Bill 621 into law, legislation that requires the MLGCC to identify and assess sports betting content.
May 9, 2023: SuperBook launches its online sportsbook in Maryland.
April 10, 2023: SuperBook Sports Lounge opens at Camden Yards. Notably, the location is not a retail sportsbook, but sports bettors will soon have access to the SuperBook MD betting app.
Feb. 22, 2023: Sen. Shelley Hettleman’s SB 620, which would keep colleges and universities from creating partnerships with sports betting operators, should the former receive any “compensation for student participation in certain sports wagering,” begins its journey through the state Senate.
Feb. 16, 2023: Regulators shift focus to Maryland online sports betting startups and small businesses.
Feb. 15, 2023: SuperBook receives its mobile sports betting license from SWARC. Once the sportsbook successfully performs controlled demonstrations with the Maryland Lottery, it will be able to launch in the state.
Feb. 10, 2023: Maryland’s sports betting handle dipped in January amid quadruple tax revenue gains related to reduced promos and increased competition.
Feb. 9, 2023: Betfred receives an online sports betting license from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency and launches its online platform in the state. It becomes MD’s eighth active online sportsbook.
Jan. 26, 2023: MLGCC approves SuperBook’s applications for online and retail sports betting in Maryland. Crab Sports Maryland is also advanced. The applications are handed off to SWARC for licensing.
Jan. 20, 2023: Fanatics opens the first retail sportsbook inside an NFL stadium — Fanatics Sportsbook at FedEx Field.
Jan. 12, 2023: Fanatics will open its first U.S. retail sportsbook — Fanatics Sportsbook — at FedEx Field on Jan. 20, 2023.
Dec. 16, 2022: BetMGM Maryland is fined $146,000 for inadvertently accepting over $2,000 in live bets during a pre-launch test on Nov. 16, 2022.
Dec. 14, 2022: Maryland’s SWARC awards mobile sports betting licenses to Bally Bet and WynnBET.
Dec. 12, 2022: Maryland gets off to a strong start, generating $186 million in online sports betting handle in just nine days in November. Online wagers account for 84% of Maryland’s total handle for the month.
Dec. 4, 2022: The Baltimore Ravens fail to cover against a punchless Denver Broncos offense, squeaking out a 10-9 victory on home turf.
Dec. 1, 2022: MLGCC advances two more Maryland online sports betting applications. Now, Bally Bet and WynnBET could be awarded licenses by SWARC on Dec. 14. Betway’s application was removed from a revised agenda and will be discussed at a later date.
Nov. 28, 2022: MLGCA will meet Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, to determine if Bally Bet, Betway, and WynnBET are qualified to enter the Maryland online sports betting market. If approved for sports betting licenses, SWARC may award licenses during a Dec. 14 meeting.
Nov. 23, 2022: Legal Maryland online sports betting officially launches.
Nov. 22, 2022: Maryland sports betting sites halt online operations as state regulators review their platforms and practices. Online Maryland sportsbooks will fully launch at 9 a.m. ET on Nov. 23, 2022.
Nov. 21, 2022: Maryland online sports betting begins. Legal sportsbooks accept wagers from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. EST during the state’s “soft launch.”
Nov. 18, 2022: Betfred officially opens its temporary sportsbook across from Long Shot’s after a four-day controlled demonstration. The permanent, 6,000-square-foot facility is expected to be ready in early 2023.
Nov. 17, 2022: Maryland Lottery Director John Martin announces that Maryland online sports betting will launch on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. Seven sportsbooks will be ready to go live: Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and PointsBet will begin taking wagers at this time.
Nov. 16, 2022: SWARC approves 10 mobile sports wagering licenses. The 10 companies holding these licenses will provide Maryland online sports betting via the following sportsbooks: Barstool Sportsbook, Betfred Sports, BetFanatics, BetMGM, betPARX, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and PointsBet.
Nov. 15, 2022: Caesars Sportsbook launches its Maryland sports betting app. New users can now sign up and deposit $20 to get $100 in free bets.
Nov. 14, 2022: The Maryland SWARC will meet on Nov. 16, 2022, to award up to 10 Maryland online sports betting licenses. The state’s first online sportsbooks could go live in time for Thanksgiving.
Nov. 10, 2022: BetMGM Maryland introduces a pre-registration offer worth $200 in free bets to its new MD customers.
Nov. 3, 2022: FanDuel Maryland enhances its early registration offer — $100 in free bets — to include a free three-month subscription to NBA League Pass.
Oct. 27, 2022: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) announces that 10 online sportsbook operators are qualified to hold Maryland sports betting operator licenses. Barstool Sportsbook, Betfred, BetMGM, betPARX, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, and PointsBet could have licenses awarded by SWARC on Nov. 21.
Oct. 25, 2022: The Maryland sports betting applicants seeking permits include 10 of the industry’s best-known operators.
Oct. 21, 2022: Applications for Maryland online sports betting licenses must be submitted by 5 p.m. ET today. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) will publicly announce its list of qualified applicants on Thursday, Oct. 27.
Oct. 18, 2022: DraftKings tells Covers the online “sportsbook is coming soon” to Maryland.
Oct. 12, 2022: Maryland sportsbooks registered increases in September, largely thanks to a bump in NFL betting.
Oct. 6, 2022: Caesars officially submits its online sportsbook application in Maryland with the expectation that a license will be awarded within about a month’s time.
Oct. 4, 2022: John Martin, Director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming, says, “I am confident that there will be mobile wagering in the state of Maryland in 2022,” noting that the MLGCA is waiting on SWARC to award sports betting licenses. Maryland bettors can expect the first online sportsbooks to arrive sometime between the end of November and mid-December.
Sept. 22, 2022: Maryland regulators opt to award licenses on a rolling basis, meaning Maryland online sports betting could arrive before the end of 2022.
Sept. 13, 2022: After four months of decline, Maryland’s August sports betting handle exceeds its July output. The state’s retail sportsbooks take in nearly $18.7 million in total bets for the month.
Sept. 6, 2022: Maryland regulators begin accepting applications for sports betting licenses. The official deadline for applications is Oct. 21, 2022.
Aug. 26, 2022: The Maryland SWARC publishes a set of approved proposed regulations, bringing legal sports betting another step closer. A 30-day comment period now begins.
Aug. 25, 2022: DraftKings earned preliminary approval from the MLGCA, setting the stage for opening a retail sportsbook at the Maryland State Fairgrounds.
Aug. 17, 2022: The SWARC reveals that Marylanders may be able to utilize online sports betting platforms by the 2023 Super Bowl but will not set a firm timetable in place yet.
Aug. 10, 2022: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission gives initial approval for three retail sports betting licenses, including one that would allow for a sportsbook at the Washington Commanders’ FedEx Field.
Aug. 3, 2022: The Washington Commanders have yet to announce a partner for their proposed physical sportsbook at FedEx Field. However, the team’s license application is expected to be discussed at an upcoming Maryland Lottery meeting.
Aug. 1, 2022: BetRivers opens Maryland’s first non-casino retail sportsbook in partnership with Bingo World. The location becomes the sixth facility to offer sports betting in Maryland.
July 13, 2022: The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) pushes legal mobile sports betting in Maryland a step closer to launch by approving proposed draft rules.
July 6, 2022: Betfred Sports partners with Long Shot’s in Frederick. Betfred will open a temporary retail sportsbook for the 2022 football season, while a permanent “state-of-the-art” sportsbook will ultimately reside at Long Shot’s. An online sportsbook will launch when permitted by the Maryland Lottery and SWARC.
June 23, 2022: Maryland Lottery approves Fanatics‘ application for a sports wagering facility operator license. If SWARC approves the license, Fanatics could become the 10th licensee in the state.
June 16, 2022: Two days after Hogan’s letter, SWARC increases its urgency in moving toward launching mobile sports betting. Maryland lawmakers still have no firm timeline set in place.
June 14, 2022: Gov. Hogan takes aim at SWARC over its failure to launch mobile sports betting in Maryland in a decisive manner and the needless bureaucratic delays.
June 7, 2022: Crab Sports strikes a deal with sportsbook platform provider Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG). Crab Sports expects to launch in Maryland sometime in the second half of 2022.
March 16, 2022: Online Maryland sports betting still appears to be months away. Regulators hope to launch mobile betting by the start of the 2022 NFL season.
Feb. 24, 2022: MLGCC approves Bingo World in Anne Arundel County for a sports betting license. Bingo World becomes the ninth facility to obtain a license but will have to gain final approval from SWARC before launching operations.
Feb. 18, 2022: DraftKings announces during its Q4 earnings call that it has secured market access in Maryland, a required step in the eventual launch process.
Jan. 11, 2022: Casino sportsbooks in MD took more than $16 million in bets over the first month of legal wagering.
Dec. 23, 2021: Hollywood Casino in Perryville opens its doors for in-person Maryland sports betting.
Dec. 17, 2021: Ocean Downs Casino becomes the latest location to offer legal sports betting. Maryland is up to four retail sportsbooks.
Dec. 16, 2021: MLGCC approves amendments to allow bettors to check their bankrolls, but not bet, at online sportsbooks when they’re across state lines.
Dec. 10, 2021: Horseshoe Casino and Live! Casino become the second and third retail locations to offer legal sports betting in Maryland.
Dec. 9, 2021: MGM National Harbor Casino becomes the first retail location in the state to launch legal sports betting, making Maryland the 11th state to establish the practice in 2021.
Dec. 8, 2021: State regulators award sports betting licenses to Riverboat on the Potomac and Long Shot’s.
Dec. 2, 2021: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission announces it is preparing for a soft launch in December. Five retail sportsbooks will be watched closely by MLGCC staff over a two-day period. Additionally, MLGCC forwards two off-track betting facilities — Riverboat on the Potomac and Long Shot’s — to SWARC after qualifying the locations for sports betting licenses.
Nov. 18, 2021: SWARC awards casino sports betting licenses to Hollywood Casino Perryville (Barstool), Horseshoe Baltimore (Caesars), Live! Casino Maryland (FanDuel), MGM National Harbor (BetMGM), and Ocean Downs (TwinSpires).
Nov. 16, 2021: During a VIXIO GamblingCompliance webinar, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin says the state is “a long way away” from launching mobile sports betting. SWARC has yet to define regulations or what the operator application process will look like in MD.
Nov. 4, 2021: Following Sports Wagering Application Review Commission’s (SWARC) refusal to award five retail sports betting licenses on November 3, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin indicates sports betting is unlikely to arrive in Maryland until early 2022.
Sept. 8, 2021: The Baltimore Ravens and Caesars Entertainment, Inc. announced a broad partnership with Caesars Sportsbook. The agreement further increases Horseshoe Baltimore’s standing as the team’s lone official casino partner.
Aug. 2021: Gov. Hogan told Maryland Matters that legal sports betting won’t be ready by the start of the NFL regular season but is optimistic about a launch in time for the playoffs and the 2022 Super Bowl.
July 2021: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) approved draft rules for sports betting regulations to guide the state’s licensing and operational rollout. The 228-page document was posted to the Maryland Register. The public comment period lasts 30 days, with a public meeting locked for Sept. 22, 2021.
May 2021: Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr (R) signed sports betting bill HB 940 into law.
April 2021: Both Maryland state houses pass HB 940, greenlighting retail and online sports betting. Maryland will allow up to 60 mobile and online sportsbooks to operate in the state.
March 2021: The House Ways & Means Committee sends HB 940 to the House floor for a vote. The bill provides accommodations to expand the number of licenses and allow retail sportsbooks at all Maryland casinos and big-league sports venues.
Nov. 2020: Voters approve legal sports betting via a referendum on the 2020 ballot. Neighboring Mid-Atlantic states had already legalized sports betting, and MD state legislators moved to avoid being left behind.
