Maryland Governor supports legal sports betting
Maryland passed sports betting legislation back in March, but voters will have the final say on the November ballot.
US.- Gov. Larry Hogan has openly endorsed Question 2 on the state’s November ballot, which would allow sports betting in Maryland to raise money for education.
Hogan said: “Question 2 provides a critical revenue source for public education without raising taxes on families and businesses. This initiative builds on the very successful ‘Hogan Lockbox,’ which puts casino revenues in a lockbox dedicated to education.
“We are already funding our K-12 schools at record levels, and this is another way to ensure that is the case for years to come.”
Hogan underlined the current budget deficit in the state due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. According to an analysis by the Maryland General Assembly, legal sports betting could generate $18.2m in tax revenues in 2022.
In a bid to gain support for legal sports betting, FanDuel and DraftKings launched a “Vote Yes on Question 2” campaign last month, featuring public school teachers advocating for the legalisation of sports betting in order to fund education.
Sports betting was on the agenda for state legislators before the pandemic, but the legislature was adjourned early in March. Without the possibility to discuss details, legislators passed a bill to be addressed after the issue is put to voters.
