Maryland lawmakers introduce bill to ban gambling on college campuses
The bill would require colleges to set up geofences by August 1.
US.- Legislation has been introduced in Maryland with the aim of prohibiting online gambling on college campuses in the state. House Bill 1087, which has had its first reading in the state’s Ways and Means and Appropriations Committee, would require institutions to establish a virtual perimeter, or “geofence,” around campuses to block cell phone access to online sportsbooks.
HB 1087 mandates four-year public institutions, Baltimore City Community College, and local community colleges to contract with the geolocation service companies partnered with licensed sports betting operators in Maryland. They would need to establish the virtual perimeter by August 1, 2024.
The bill predicts increased expenses for the institutions, but foresees no revenue impact. However, Towson University, a public university in Maryland, has expressed concerns about the feasibility of enforcing a geofence. It cited challenges such as geolocation accuracy, mobile settings, ethics and private network usage.
Maryland went live with sports betting in November 2022 and has 10 operators, including FanDuel and ESPN Bet.
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