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November 16, 2022The launch of online sports betting in Maryland could happen in time to allow residents of the Old Line State to wager legally. Regulators are accelerating their efforts to get mobile operators up and running.
Maryland’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) announced Monday that it would consider awarding licenses for online sports betting sites at a meeting on November 16 rather than November 21 as had previously been expected.
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The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency then said that, pending the award of any licenses on Wednesday, the launch of mobile sports betting in Maryland could happen in time for Thanksgiving, which is November 24.
Once SWARC has awarded licenses, the regulator said that Maryland Lottery and Gaming still has to issue the permits, which will happen after applicants complete all the necessary operational requirements.
However, Maryland Lottery and Gaming also said that it will pick out an “initial” start date once SWARC awards licenses and that businesses awarded licenses by SWARC and checked all other boxes can launch then. Other books could launch in the following days and weeks as they obtain their approvals.
“Our staff has been in continuous contact with these mobile sports wagering businesses and has already guided them through many of the necessary steps,” Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin said in a press release. “The last hurdle is for them to have controlled demonstrations, and SWARC’s awards of licenses on Wednesday would clear the way for that to happen.”
Monday’s news sets the stage for a much swifter launch of online sports betting in Maryland than had been envisioned, as regulators were contemplating a start in late November or early December. Bringing the launch forward will allow bettors more time to legally wager on the National Football League’s super-popular regular season and the state to realize more tax revenue from that NFL-related wagering.
The accelerated timeline could also give a win to outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan, who had pushed SWARC to get online sports betting started in time for the NFL season. Although in-person wagering has been ongoing at brick-and-mortar facilities in Maryland since December 2021, the launch of mobile wagering will also mean that some voters will finally access another authorized channel after a majority approved legal sports betting in a 2020 referendum.
The SWARC will consider awarding licenses to 10 entities at its Wednesday meeting. Those applicants can then use an operator partner to run their mobile-wagering businesses when they get their licenses.
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