Maryland rep. says there is no deadline for new operator launches

Updated December 6, 2023
Updated December 6, 2023By Chris Boline
maryland betting news december 2023

After a tremendous rollout, sports betting operators in the Old Line State have cooled off a bit. Per a recent report, three Maryland sports betting operators have been awarded licenses for their betting apps but have yet to launch in the state. Moreover, a Maryland Lottery spokesperson says there is no deadline for when those operators need to launch. Queen Sportsbook, Bally’s, and Veterans Services Corp. (with Bee-Fee acting as the operator) were awarded licenses by the state’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission more than six months ago. Bally’s received a license for Bally Bet at the end of 2022. 

For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming out of Maryland, along with more notes about Old Line State wagering. 

Operators need to follow Maryland lottery guidelines

As noted in the same report, each operator needs to go through controlled demonstrations with the lottery before officially launching. The lottery is ready for the demonstrations whenever the operators are, but the operators don’t appear ready to go live. Moreover, as noted in a quote from Seth Elkin, the lottery’s managing director of communications, there is no deadline to launch. Additionally, each applicant must complete the qualification process in enough time for SWARC to consider them for a license award prior to that date.

WynnBET also received a mobile license in Maryland but announced plans to roll back its mobile betting operations across multiple states earlier this year. As a result, WynnBET won’t launch in Maryland. Maryland Lottery Director John Martin told Sports Handle this month that he doesn’t anticipate major changes to the state’s mobile betting market in 2024. As noted in the same article, Maryland is home to 13 retail sportsbooks and 12 operational mobile sportsbooks, including BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel. 

Maryland has already seen mobile betting mistakes

According to one report, at a brief meeting Maryland Lottery officials took action on a few small sports wagering violations, with BetMGM, Points BET, and Rush Street Interactive (BetRivers) each agreeing to pay the lottery $1,000 penalties. BetMGM’s violation occurred in June of 2023,. The operator self-reported an incident where it accepted a wager on a tennis match despite the result of the wager having been determined when the bet was placed. PointsBet and Rush Street Interactive agreed to pay fines for July violations. Each operator failed to notify customers that credit card transactions can be treated as cash advances, which can be subject to additional fees. 

Even more thoughts about Maryland wagering

After you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news coming from Maryland, make sure to check out the wide variety of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more insights on the topic touched on here, our Maryland sports betting guide is a fantastic resource to have on hand for all the latest Old Line State wagering updates. Moreover, if you are interested in some higher-stakes wagering, then the VIP sports betting sites rundown is a must-read page. Here you can learn more about VIP betting and if it makes sense for you. Finally, for those looking to juice up their bets, the best bonus betting sites breakdown has your back with a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers. 

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About the Author

Chris Boline
Chris Boline

As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.

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