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Maryland lawmakers will return to the issue of online gambling next month, with hearings set for March 11 that could change the state’s digital gaming market.
Senator Ron Watson has introduced a package of bills that would authorize full online casino play, establish a separate framework for regulated online poker, and allow Maryland to join multistate agreements.
His proposal also requires a statewide referendum, meaning voters would ultimately decide whether iGaming becomes law. At the same time, Senators Jeff Waldstreicher and Chris West are pushing to curb illegal gambling in the state, with a ban on sweepstakes casinos the focus of their bipartisan bill.
A new online casino market
Maryland’s SB 885 would open the door to a regulated online casino industry, placing oversight in the hands of the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.
The bill authorizes casino-style games such as slots, table play, and online bingo, while limiting eligibility mainly to existing video lottery operators and sports wagering licensees.
Certain Maryland‑based employers could also qualify if they meet set thresholds. Licenses would run for five years, with fees of $1 million or $500,000 for live‑dealer only platforms, and reduced costs for minority and social equity applicants. Each licensee could partner with one online operator, creating a single “skin.”
The proposal builds in strict labor and consumer protections. Applicants must provide “clear and convincing evidence” of labor peace agreements that prevent strikes, boycotts, or stoppages during the first five years.
Regulators would publish annual studies to track whether online play reduces activity in land‑based casinos, and an employee‑displacement fund would support workers affected by that shift.
Responsible gaming measures include mandatory 24-hour delays before deposit limits can be raised, restrictions on marketing during self-suspensions and annual reporting on erratic gambling behavior.
While SB 885 sets out licensing and safeguards, it notably leaves the tax rate unresolved, a decision lawmakers will need to address later.
Poker seperated from online gaming
Maryland has chosen to treat poker differently from casino play, carving it out as skill‑based gaming” under SB 884.
The bill creates a standalone licensing system that explicitly includes poker and requires the Commission to permit it. Licenses would cost $1 million, with a reduced $500,000 fee for minority‑owned operators. Those holding licenses would keep 70% of the proceeds, while deposit limits and responsible gaming controls would apply to players.
One of the most significant elements is the language, allowing Maryland to link its poker with other states. The bill authorizes the governor, acting on the Commission’s recommendation, to “enter into an agreement with other governments…that allows…multijurisdictional internet skill‑based gaming.”
This provision could pave the way for Maryland to join the Multi‑State Internet Gaming Agreement, enabling shared poker pools across jurisdictions.
Sweepstakes attacked, again
Maryland lawmakers are once more targeting sweepstakes casinos with SB 652, a bill designed to clamp down on illegal online gambling. The proposal prohibits both operating and promoting unlicensed gambling sites, while giving the Attorney General authority to issue cease‑and‑desist orders.
Payment processors and online platforms would be required to block transactions tied to these activities, and violators could face civil and criminal penalties, including forfeiture of profits.
The bill defines online gambling broadly, covering “table games, slot machines, video poker, sweepstakes games, games of chance, and any other game typically offered in a casino.”
Under its definition of sweepstakes, it specifies: “(1) Utilizes a dual‑currency system of payment allowing the player to exchange the currency for any prize, award, cash or cash equivalents… (2) Simulates any form of gambling, including…slot machines…video poker…table games…lottery…bingo…[and] sports wagering.”
SB 652 follows earlier measures introduced this session, SB 112 and Hb 295, both of which have already been heard in committee.
During testimony, Commission Director John Martin told lawmakers that regulators had issued 75 cease‑and‑desist letters to sweepstakes casinos, with about one‑third complying.
Source: GamblingInsider
