It will likely be late fall or early winter before sportsbooks in Maryland start taking wagers.
The state's Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) held a meeting on Tuesday, during which Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Director John Martin reiterated a rough timeline for launching legal betting.
To help keep that schedule, regulators recently opened an online licensing system that 17 specific entities (such as Horseshoe Casino Baltimore) can use to submit applications for criminal and financial background checks.
"What's happening now is that our team of people are working with the named applicants who have begun the process to do the required investigations and background checks so that we may submit those applications back to SWARC for awarding the license and continue building upon the positive momentum we have to get sports wagering operational by late fall," Martin said.
The comments come after the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill in April that authorizes both retail and online sports betting in the state. Gov. Larry Hogan then signed the legislation into law in May.
Bettors will have to be 21 or older to wager in Maryland, but they may have plenty of options when they finally get the chance. The state's sports-betting law allows for up to 60 online sportsbook licenses to be issued, in addition to 47 licenses for retail books at professional sports facilities and other brick-and-mortar establishments.
I’m pleased to join the Senate Pres. & Gov. in signing 226 bills into law including sports betting, the state song repeal and Jordan McNair Act. We’re expanding the rights of MDers, positioning us on the right side of history & making this state one of the best in the country. pic.twitter.com/luPo8dgq6F
— Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (@SpeakerAJones) May 18, 2021
However, there are 17 specific locations named in the state's legislation for in-person sports betting licenses, including the home venues of the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, and the Washington Football Team.
Also earmarked for retail-wagering permits are six casinos, five off-track betting facilities, and two horse-racing tracks, including the host site of the Preakness, Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
It's those 17 spots that are likely to be licensed first for action in the state, as the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission recently opened its online licensing platform for them.
“We anticipate that some of the 17 specified locations may be able to start taking sports wagers late this fall or early this winter, in time for the NFL playoffs,” Martin said in a September 14 press release. “We’re actively working to expedite the process.”
Maryland’s model for legal sports betting will allow both in-person and online registration for betting on professional and college sports. Mobile sports wagering licensees will also be able to partner with an operator to conduct betting operations on their behalf, although those operators must be licensed as well.
There could be a long list of licensing applications that state officials will have to wade through. In addition, Maryland’s legalization legislation is unique compared to other states, as it aims to maximize opportunities for minorities and women to take part in the industry.
To help speed the process along, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC) has said it will use "alternative licensing standards" that are allowed by the state's sports-wagering law. Doing so will allow the regulator to issue interim licenses for retail wagering to applicants that have gone through similar licensing in Maryland or other states.
"The MLGCC will begin investigations of the 17 named entities once they have submitted their applications via the eLicensing portal," the September 14 press release said. "After receiving a completed application, the MLGCC’s staff will determine whether the applicant is eligible for an interim license based on alternative standards and issue an interim license so that sports wagering operations can begin."
Collecting comment
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency also held a public meeting regarding the state’s proposed sports-wagering regulations on Wednesday. James Butler, the agency's managing director of organizational compliance, noted the public-comment period on the draft rules will end on Monday, September 27.
However, before the regulatory changes can be made, they have to be published in the Maryland Register, an official state publication.
“My goal is to have all comments prepared for the [Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission's] review by October 10th, so that the final action on these proposed regulations can get published in the October 22nd edition of the Maryland Register,” Butler said.
