Maryland Online Gambling & Betting

Maryland Sports Betting Legal Updates

Maryland online gambling is coming soon. It appears fans in The Old Line State won’t have to wait much longer to participate in legal online sports betting.

On September 22, 2022, John Martin, the director of Maryland’s Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA), stated that he expects mobile online sports betting will launch in the state before the end of 2022.

This will come as welcome news to those who have been eagerly waiting for nearly two years after Maryland voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of a legal sports betting referendum back in November of 2020.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Maryland?

Online sports betting is not yet legal in Maryland, but the official rollout is on the horizon. After spending years sandwiched between some of the most pro-gambling states in the country, Maryland will finally be joining them.

Here is a look at the path to legalization in the state:

Legalization Timeline

• September 22, 2022: John Martin director of MLGCA says he expects online sports betting to be operational in Maryland by the end of 2022.
• September 6, 2022: The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission opens applications for online sports betting operators, signaling sports betting could launch prior to the end of 2022
• April 30, 2022:  The MLGCA remains hopeful online sportsbooks will launch soon, with a target set for the NFL season.
• September 1, 2021: Rules and regulations remain under review.
• May 18, 2021: Governor Larry Hogan signs HB 940 into law
• April 12, 2021: The Maryland state legislature passes HB 940 approving legal online wagering
• November 3, 2020: Maryland voters support legal online sports betting on the general election ballot

Maryland Online Gambling

Online casinos and online poker still haven’t been made legal here yet, but if you’re looking for online sports betting, Maryland will soon be as good a state to be in as any.

In this Maryland Online Gambling Guide, we’ll take you on a whistle-stop tour of what will be available and what won’t. You’ll be pleased to hear that there’s just as much of the former as of the latter and that the Maryland online gambling industry looks set to explode in the months and years ahead.

Sports Betting in Maryland

Sports fans in Maryland can bet on a comprehensive range of events both at home and internationally when they visit retail casinos. This includes not only all professional sports, such as football, baseball, hockey, and basketball but also college games.

Online sports betting will soon be legal in the state of Maryland, with the first mobile sportsbooks expected to go live before the end 2022.

Maryland Sports Teams to Bet On

Sports fans who like to bet on their local teams will have plenty of options here. The state is home to both the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, and the University of Maryland. The neighboring Washington Commanders, Nationals, Wizards, and Capitals provide additional local betting options.

Types of Bets Available in Maryland

Whether you visit a land-based sportsbook or an online one when they arrive, you will have access to the widest possible range of bets and markets. Sportsbooks here offer moneylines, totals, spreads, prop bets, parlays, and more, so be sure to explore all of the possible options before striking a bet.

Because there are multiple sportsbooks in operation in Maryland, you can easily sign up with several and shop around for the best possible odds before deciding which one to bet with. Another useful advantage of joining multiple sportsbooks is that you’ll be able to claim a separate welcome bonus from each one.

Online Casinos in Maryland

Online casinos have not been made legal in Maryland at the time of writing, so if you want to play Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, or other casino games, you will need to visit a land-based venue in the state. This isn’t an ideal situation for casino gaming fans, but many hope that a successful launch of online sports betting sites will pave the way for another look at online casino gaming law in the future.

As far as land-based casinos are concerned, there are six that are open for business. All of them offer a good range of slots and video poker games as well as the most popular table games.

Horse Racing in Maryland

Maryland is a state that has some very strong ties to the sport of horse racing. The state is home to several major racecourses, including Laurel Park, the Rosecroft Raceway, and Pimlico Race Course. The latter of those will be very familiar to knowledgeable horse racing fans because it hosts the Preakness Stakes in May each year.

This is one of the biggest Grade 1 events in the country and the second of three races that, along with the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, make up the Triple Crown.

There is plenty of on-track betting available in Maryland, and you can also place bets with TVG, which is a dedicated online racebook. When mobile sports betting goes live in the state it will be even easier to bet on the Win, Place, or Show because most sportsbooks also offer a comprehensive range of horse racing markets.

These cover events in Maryland, across the USA, and around the world, so betting on the Grand National in England will be just as easy as betting on a small handicap race staged in the Old Line State itself.

Online Poker in Maryland

There is no provision for online poker in the current gambling legislation, nor is this situation likely to change in the near future.

Poker games can only be played in licensed land-based venues, so even home games are illegal and the state is quick to enforce the law when it is made aware of violations. As with casino games, if you want to play poker you will need to visit a properly licensed and regulated land-based venue in person.

Daily Fantasy Sports in Maryland

Although sports fans will have to wait until online sportsbooks go live before they can start betting remotely in Maryland, daily fantasy sports enthusiasts are already well catered for. You can bet with virtually any of the major DFS platforms here, including FanDuel and DraftKings, and you’ll enjoy access to the full range of sports and leagues.

Daily Fantasy Sports have been legal in this state since 2012, and additional regulations were introduced in 2017 to make it even better for customers. You can bet on NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAB, and more, so if you want to warm up your sports betting muscles in preparation for the arrival of mobile sportsbook apps, this could be a good way to do so.

Maryland Lottery Games

The state of Maryland has been running lottery games for almost 50 years. These are governed and operated by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, and the aim of the lottery is to raise funds for a variety of good causes, including education and public health. The first Maryland lottery game was called Twin Win, and its first draw was held on May 24, 1973.

Over the last five decades, the number of lottery games available to players in Maryland has expanded quite massively. Twin Win has long gone, but today you can buy tickets for Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 games, as well as Bonus Match 5, all of which take place on a daily basis. A Multi-Match game takes place every Monday and Thursday and offers a top prize with a minimum value of $500,000.

A couple of multi-state lottery games (meaning those that can be played in multiple states across the US) offer even bigger prizes to the jackpot winners. Maryland residents can participate in both Mega Millions and Powerball. Mega Millions has a minimum jackpot of $40 million and is played every Tuesday and Friday. Powerball also has a minimum jackpot of $40 million and is played every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Maryland lottery tickets can be purchased from over 4,400 retailers, including gas stations, bars, and convenience stores.

eSports in Maryland

eSports have become big business in the last decade or so. While betting on eSports isn’t yet quite as popular in the US as betting on traditional sports, it is certainly heading that way.

Fortunately, the lawmakers in Maryland have been well aware of this for some time, because they included eSports in the same legislation that made sports betting legal. This means that eSports betting can already take place in land-based sportsbooks and it will also be available to users of online sportsbooks when they go live.

The Future of Maryland Online Gambling

The future of MD online gambling looks bright. At least a few online sportsbooks should be live by the end of 2022, and their success looks almost inevitable. It is hoped by many that a thriving online sports betting industry in the state will pave the way for the legalization of online casinos, and perhaps even online poker sites at some point.

For now, Marylanders are quite happy to know that they will soon be able to bet on their favorite sports from the convenience of their computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Maryland Online Gambling FAQs

Common questions about online gambling sites in Maryland.

Is it legal to gamble online in Maryland?

Sports betting was recently legalized in Maryland, so sites will be launching soon. Online casinos and poker games are still illegal.

Is online poker legal in Maryland?

No. Online poker sites, such as WSOP, are illegal in Maryland. The recent sports betting legislation does not include online poker.

Can you bet on sports in Maryland?

Sports betting was legalized in 2021. Sportsbook apps will be launching soon.

Can you play online casino games in Maryland?

Not yet. Online casino games are still illegal in Maryland.