Maryland online sports betting may take its first bet sometime in November, according to John Martin, director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming (MLG).
“I am confident there will be mobile wagering in the state of Maryland in 2022,” Martin said.
This estimate comes more than a week after Maryland’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) agreed to rolling approval of online sportsbook licenses, rather than a universal start date for all sportsbooks.
Online operators must submit applications to SWARC by October 21 to be considered for a license. MLG will then reveal qualified online operators on October 27, and SWARC can then take up to 45 days to consider awarding a license. Operators will be sent back to MLG for the approval of their internal controls.
Meeting the 2022 date requires SWARC to take less than 45 days for some licensees.
“If SWARC approves licenses in early November, we could potentially begin online sports betting in late November. If SWARC approves licenses in mid-November, we could potentially get online sports betting up and running by early December,” Martin said.
He added that by allowing a staggered launch, the state will not have to wait for the full complement of sportsbook applicants to be approved before launching sports betting. Companies currently operating Maryland retail sports betting facilities will likely be found qualified first.
This will likely allow SWARC to quickly approve licenses for sportsbooks such as Barstool, FanDuel, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, and PointsBet, as they’ve already been vetted by the commission and Maryland Lottery and Gaming for their retail sports betting services.
