Maryland hopes to launch sports betting by autumn
The state is hoping for sports betting to be available in time for the World Series and for professional teams to be offering betting in time for Super Bowl LVI in February.
US.- Maryland hopes to open its sports betting market later this year. According to Senador Craig J. Zucker, sports betting in person should be available in time for autmn
“By this fall, the goal is hopefully for your brick-and-mortar facilities, your casinos, your racetracks, to be up and running. Hopefully, your professional teams will be operational by the Super Bowl as well.”
Maryland’s new sports betting bill approves 60 online sports betting licenses. The other licences are classified into two groups: A and B. The A licences are for the bigger state casinos, horse racetracks, and professional sports teams.
Zucker said the first applicants will need to satisfy criteria for the recently created Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) and Maryland Lottery and Gaming before being able to receive a licence.
Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica thinks that could take 12 to 14 months.
He said: “I guess in a perfect world you might be able to see the casinos offering on premises only betting in time for the upcoming football season, if not maybe in time for the Super Bowl itself. That is the best outcome. In total, the whole process as the bill requires is probably adding 12 to 24 months.”
According to Zucker In-person betting for casinos and horse race tracks will be a quicker venture as they have existing infrastructure to support sportsbooks, have completed background checks and will have partnered with companies who have already gone through the process of creating in-person and online sportsbooks.
