Could Maryland Sports Betting Apps Launch By Thanksgiving?

On Thursday, Maryland may have just given in-state bookies an early Christmas present. Or maybe a little more to chew on during Thanksgiving dinner.

Officials with the Maryland Sports Betting Applications Review Commission (MSWARC) have announced that they are looking to launch Maryland betting apps by the end of the year and aren’t ruling out possibly as early as November either.

Originally, MSWARC wanted all sportsbooks released online in the state together, which was problematic, as it would have essentially forced all licensed sportsbooks to wait until each license was issued and all licensees had their logistics and equipment in place. . Running collectively.

But in a somewhat surprising move, MSWARC officials said they may be willing to waive the blanket launch requirement and instead allow „renewable launches,“ where online sportsbooks in Maryland can begin operations once they obtain their licenses and have the logistics/equipment in place. Items ready to go, so to speak.

That could mean bettors can start signing up for sports book promotions in Maryland by late Thanksgiving — or even sooner if there’s a pre-registration. Or there could be more delays, depending on how the next four weeks go.

Maryland sports betting schedule

MSWARC gives potential online sportsbooks in Maryland until October 21 to apply for licenses, followed by a 45-day review of each license application and required background investigations for companies as well as many of their principals.

„Maryland Lottery and Gaming have worked diligently on the underlying investigations,“ Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Director John A. Martin said in a media statement earlier this month. “A number of companies planning to apply for mobile licenses have already provided information to begin their investigations, and our licensing staff will continue to guide them through the qualification process.

“We are focused on accelerating our part of the process so that mobile betting can start as soon as possible.”

Early applications are essential in Maryland

If online sports betting license applications, opened on September 7, are received before the October 21 deadline, the review is completed 45 days earlier, and the license is approved, then, in theory, Maryland’s first betting applications could start in Work in mid to late November or early December.

Can you see the offer for the BetMGM Maryland bonus code or can you take advantage of the Caesars Sportsbook Maryland promo code at that time? Very likely.

Unlike other states like Massachusetts, which limit permanent unrestricted online sportsbooks (not affiliated with an already established casino) to just seven entities, Maryland takes a very strict approach, with space for up to 60 online sportsbooks, plus Personal retail betting sites.

Maryland has had retail bookmakers in operation at seven brick-and-mortar locations since last December — and in the long run, it could eventually get as many as 47 retail sports book licenses. This includes several entities already in the business that are also hoping to add online Maryland sportsbooks to their betting offerings, including FanDuel Maryland, Barstool, BetRivers, PointsBet, BetMGM and Caesars.

Can we wait so long coming to an end?

But several regulatory/legislative delays have delayed the introduction of online sports betting applications.

Currently, Maryland bettors can legally bet online if they are physically traveling to neighboring states that have legal online betting, or they can bet on illegal offshore entities online. But the latter is not always safe and secure, which puts the investments of bettors at risk, to the extent that payments may not be made.

The overall process of starting online sports betting has taken over 1.5 years, which has left many in Maryland deeply frustrated, including government officials such as Governor Larry Hogan and Jim Nielsen, COO/Deputy Director of the Maryland Lottery and Games Monitoring Agency

“We all know the public is demanding sports betting,” Nielsen lamented Thursday. „We get feedback on why it didn’t start every day.“

Responsible gambling

Always gamble responsibly. All licensed and legal operators in the United States have resources available to bettors, including educational guides on how to spot a problem gaming, links to support services and tools for self-exclusion for a specified period of time. Support is available at National Board of Problem GamesAnd the 1-800-gambler And the American Addiction Centers. Make sure to only bet on gambling sites that are licensed and regulated by your state’s gaming regulator. Ensures that games are fair, bets are honored, customer money is safe and that there are legal protections for the consumer.

Sports betting and gambling are illegal in all locations. Ensure that you comply with the laws applicable in your place of residence.

This story was originally published September 23, 2022 11:00 am.