Maryland: Three new venues move forward to get sports betting licenses

Sports betting is finally moving forward at three Maryland facilities, as gaming and lottery officials announced on Wednesday. Maryland Stadium Sub, which intends to operate a sportsbook at FedEx Field, and Chesapeake Gaming, which has an off-track betting venue in Boonsboro, have qualified for sports wagering licenses by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission. 

Additionally, the commission found that Betfred Sports, the operator of Long Shot's in Frederick, qualified for a sports wagering facility operator license. Their partnership had been announced one month ago.

Applications for Maryland Stadium Sub and Chesapeake Gaming are being forwarded to the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC), which will review their qualifications. Licenses could be awarded as soon as SWARC's next meeting on August 17.

Maryland Stadium Sub and Chesapeake Gaming are among the 17 entities across the state that have been designated to conduct sports wagering. Eleven of those entities are qualified and six of them are already in operation, including MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Live! Casino in Anne Arundel County, Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore City, Hollywood Casino in Cecil County, Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County, and Bingo World in Anne Arundel County.

Betfred already received a sports wagering facility license in December. It is among three off-track venues that are awaiting facility upgrades or operational requirements before their sportsbooks can launch. No opening date has yet been scheduled for any of them.

Long Shot's OTB parlor in Frederick

Rush Street Interactive (RSI) opened its BetRivers retail sportsbook in Maryland last week, in partnership with Bingo World, featuring 12 self-service kiosks and three over-the-counter machines on a 3,000-square-foot facility. 

Sportsbooks in the state will contribute 15% of their revenue toward education funding. The General Assembly's Department of Legislative Services estimates casinos will provide between $15 million to $25 million per year for schools, according to the  Commission.

Marylanders approved a ballot question to legalize sports betting during the 2020 election, by a margin of 2 to 1.  

Maryland is also inching closer to launching online sports betting in the state after the SWARC approved last month a slate of regulations and applications needed to this end. However, the market may potentially miss the NFL kickoff and first weeks, instead being up and running by mid-season. The SWARC has now reworked its licensing criteria in an effort to expedite launch.