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Sports Betting in Baltimore, MD
This is our quick Baltimore (MD) online sports betting options overview. Check the gambling sites, legal sportsbooks, mobile apps. Learn about best Baltimore casinos (MGM National Harbour next to Oxon Hill and Ocean Downs Casino in Berlin, MD), live horse racing venue and race track at Laurel Park, sports betting destinations like Horseshoe casino Baltimore or Live! Casino (near Hanover) here. All these gambling locations offer promotions and bonus offers (without a code).
Baltimore Sports Betting Overview
Baltimore has been going backwards and forwards between gambling prohibition and legislation as far back as the 1700s. The first gambling there was through licensed charitable lotteries, which were in their 1000s before they were finally banned. Slot machines came next to Baltimore, which brought about the title ‘Little Vegas’ in the 1950s. However, then prohibition won the day and gambling was sent underground.
The latest resurgence in gambling in the region can be seen to do with lost revenues than for any moral reasons, which led to with the 2012 opening of land-based casinos.
There are also two high-quality racetracks in MD at Pimlico and at the nearby Laurel Park. In 1920 the Racing Board was formed to oversee these, and today Baltimore gamblers can indulge in pari-mutuel betting on live races from across the US via Simulcasts.
Baltimore has in its legislation a very broad definition of gambling, based on a catch-all combination of ‘wagering’ and the widest possible definition of buildings that host gambling games. There have been some presidents in Maryland regarding a wide variety of ‘gambling devices’. In one case a pinball machine was even designated a gambling device, even though the best players could win was a free play.
The key definition of the Baltimore sports betting legislation states that it is totally prohibited, and a person may not bet, wager or gamble, or make or sell a book on the result of a race.
Compared to other states, the penalties for illegal gambling are fairly severe. Fines are low, though many offence violations actually include prison sentences. Whilst in many US states, players of gambling games are less liable under the law, this is not the case in Maryland, although there is no real history of prosecuting players. As of March 2014 social gambling (or home-games) has not been exempted, though there is an ongoing debate in the Senate to do so.
Things are looking up though for sports gambling in Portland. In 2019, the State Legislature introduced H 1132, to expand the state lottery program to include sports betting. It’s now all systems go for Portland to enter the world of sports betting.
