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Maryland online sports betting to launch tomorrow morning
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Maryland mobile sports betting will officially begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23, more than two full years after state voters approved sports betting.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R), flanked by Maryland Lottery Director John Martin, made the announcement at a special press conference this morning.
Seven operators set to launch
Seven sports betting operators will launch tomorrow morning after being approved by the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) for online sports betting licenses last week. Each operator performed adequately during yesterday’s “controlled demonstration” for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA).
These seven operators have achieved all required regulatory hurdles to launch.
- Barstool Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- Caesars Sportsbook
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- PointsBet
- Rush Street Interactive
BetFanatics, BetFred, and Parx Interactive were also approved by SWARC for online sports betting licenses, but are not ready to launch.
Martin announced that he expects 21 online sports betting operators and between 15 to 20 retail sports betting facility operators to be live by next year’s NFL season.
Long time coming for Maryland
Hogan’s announcement comes 553 days after he signed Maryland’s sports betting bill into law and 746 days after Maryland voters approved the state’s sports betting bill. When the first online sports betting is logged tomorrow, it will be the longest delay between a bill being signed into law and an online bet being placed for any state that has legalized sports betting.
SWARC’s formation can be pointed to for the long delay in launching sports betting in the Old Line state. SWARC was tasked with ensuring gender and race-based fairness during the state’s sports betting licensing process.
Hogan’s announcement comes 553 days after he signed Maryland’s sports betting bill into law and 746 days after Maryland voters approved the state’s sports betting bill. When the first online sports betting is logged tomorrow, it will be the longest delay between a bill being signed into law and an online bet being placed for any state that has legalized sports betting.
“Marylanders have been waiting for this long enough,” Hogan said during his announcement.
Retail sports betting launched in December 2021.
Regulatory Writer and Editor for XLMedia. Sports. Gambling. Not necessarily in that order. Follow him on Twitter @rlinnehanxl