The launch of online sports betting in Maryland will happen next week — as long as there aren’t any problems.
Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Director John Martin said Thursday that they intend to allow online sports betting sites to start taking wagers from the general public on Wednesday, November 23.
Operators will only be eligible to launch after they successfully complete a controlled demonstration of their capabilities to Maryland regulators, in addition to meeting other requirements.
Furthermore, just seven of the 10 entities awarded licenses earlier this week will be ready to go by November 23, Martin said.
“We will hope to announce a start time for Wednesday early next week,” the director added during a meeting of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.
It's (almost) time
Thursday’s news means Maryland is on the cusp of adding another avenue for legal sports betting, as there are already several brick-and-mortar gaming facilities in the state taking event wagers.
Maryland voters approved sports betting in a November 2020 referendum, but launching mobile wagering has taken far more time than the retail version, due in part to the state’s unique, diversity-seeking law.
But the waiting is almost over now. Earlier this week, regulators approved the awarding of online sports betting licenses to 10 companies, including some of the biggest operators in the U.S., which put the state on track to launch mobile sports betting in time for Thanksgiving.
Martin, though, said regulators had been told by three licensees that they will not be ready next week for the launch. Those three are Greenmount OTB LLC (which will use betPARX as its mobile operator), Long Shot’s LLC (which will use Betfred), and the Washington Commanders (which will use Fanatics).
Still, seven online sportsbook operators are eligible to launch next Wednesday in Maryland. Those operators are:
Any operator must meet all the necessary regulatory requirements before taking bets.
“I want to stress that the controlled demonstration is one of several operational requirements that must be successfully completed before launch,” Martin said. “So all operational requirements must be met prior to launch next Wednesday the 23rd.”
