More than a year after Maryland citizens voted to allow sports betting, the first sports wagers were placed on Thursday at the MGM National Harbor retail sportsbook.
After numerous delays that culminated in pressure from Governor Larry Hogan on a licensing agency that had been dragging its feet while asking for more information, the first of the five sports betting licenses approved last month finally went live, as Hogan himself placed the state’s first legal sports bet—a proposition that next February’s Super Bowl will be an all-Maryland affair between the Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Football Team.
“Today marks the culmination of years of effort to get sports betting up and running here in the State of Maryland,” Hogan said in a statement. “In addition to allowing Marylanders to bet on the NFL, March Madness and more, sports betting will also help to keep more dollars in-state and will provide another critical revenue source for public education without raising taxes on families and small businesses.”
The Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore and the Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover planned to open in-person sports betting on Friday.
Also last week, the Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission approved licenses for two other facilities: The Riverboat on the Potomac and Long Shot’s in Frederick.
A group of 17 facilities were given the first chance to apply for in-person licenses in the state. Racetracks, off-track betting venues and bingo halls also were included. An additional 30 in-person licenses also are allowed under the law, along with 60 more licenses for mobile online betting.
There is a 15 percent state tax on the revenue, which is projected to total about $100 million annually when sports betting is fully operational, with about $15 million for the state and $85 million for the businesses.
