wsn-newsletter Subscribe to WSN.

Five Maryland Casinos Finally Receive State Approval for Sports Betting

Contributors
Updated October 14, 2022
3 min read
Maryland Casinos State Approval
  • After Months of Waiting, SWARC Approves Sports Betting Licenses for 5 MD Casinos
  • Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission Criticized for Delays
  • Unfair Advantage: Casinos to Begin Sportsbook Operations Ahead of Small Businesses

Play Fantasy Sports Here!

How We Rate
Affiliate Disclaimer
21+

After Months of Waiting, SWARC Approves Sports Betting Licenses for 5 MD Casinos

For those Maryland bettors who have been eagerly anticipating legal sports betting to launch in their state, that long wait appears to be over now that the Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission (SWARC) has approved the license applications of five casinos.

The SWARC has been tasked with reviewing all applications for sports betting licenses in Maryland to make sure the applicants are fit to operate sportsbooks, and after much controversial delay, these five casinos have been approved by a commission vote of 5-2:

  1. MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill
  2. Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover
  3. Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore
  4. Hollywood Casino in Perryville
  5. Ocean Downs in Berlin

The state’s sixth casino, Rocky Gap Casino in Flintstone has not yet applied for sportsbook privileges though they are permitted to do so.

Now, all that is left to do is for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC) to issue each of those five casinos a sports wagering permit which should happen soon after the lottery agency receives the $500,000 one-time upfront fee from each business.

These SWARC approvals are long overdue, according to many industry leaders.

Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission Criticized for Delays

It has taken months for these approvals to finally happen, the entire process enduring unexplained delays that did not need to happen, according to representatives from the various casinos who had applied for sports betting licenses.

These casinos are established businesses in Maryland and given their proven business track record in the state, such scrutiny as they have endured seemed like overkill.

In a letter to SWARC, three of the waiting casinos – MGM, Live!, and Horseshoe – made clear their unhappiness with these delays, especially given that Maryland’s sports betting law requires the state to procure licenses in a timely manner once the MLGCC has given their approval.

Each of the ‘Class A’ applicants signing this letter has passed the rigorous scrutiny of the MLGCC and satisfied the conditions for licensure… Yet, the SWARC has delayed approval of these licenses for several weeks with no clear explanation for the delay.

Given that these casinos have provided Maryland with more than $12.47 billion since beginning operations in 2010, a little more expediency was expected.

Now with those five approvals, another hiccup has been created, in essence, an unfair head starts for those operations.

Unfair Advantage: Casinos to Begin Sportsbook Operations Ahead of Small Businesses

From the beginning, sports betting licenses were earmarked for the state’s six casinos, its pro sports stadiums, horse racetracks, and state fairgrounds, as well as for minority- and women-owned small businesses.

But only five casinos were approved by SWARC ahead of all the other applicants, and some argue that those casinos have been given an unfair head start.

By law, up to 60 mobile and small business licenses are available, and that means lots more applications for SWARC to review, so more delays are inevitable, but Governor Larry Hogan is convinced the waiting is almost over, telling the media:

Our administration will continue to work to get sports betting up and running in Maryland as quickly as possible.

Keep checking back for all the latest news and updates on this ongoing story.

Play Fantasy Sports Here!

How We Rate
Affiliate Disclaimer
21+

🔥 Claimed by 123 people this week!

Caesars #2

Caesars

4.5/5

Bet $1, Double Your Winnings Your Next 10 Bets

21+ | T&Cs Apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER 21+ must be physically located in VA. T&Cs Apply.
Claim Now
Mike Lukas WSN Contributors

Mike Lukas

Sports Betting & Gambling Industry Analyst

Expertise:
NFL
Gambling News
Betting Picks
Mike Lukas is a retired standup comedian turned freelance writer now living in Dallas, Texas, originally from Cleveland, Ohio. His love for the game of football and all things Cleveland Browns turned Mike into a pro blogger years ago. Now Mike enjoys writing about all thirty-two NFL teams, hoping to help football gamblers gain a slight edge in their pursuit of the perfect wager.
Email: [email protected]
Nationality: American
Education: N/A
Favourite Sportsbook: bet365 Sportsbook
Favourite Casino: Caesars Palace Casino
Experience: 23 years
We've been featured on:
espn logo
reuters logo
cbs-news logo
forbes logo
entrepreneur logo
entrepreneur logo
We only list licensed sportsbooks
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
Co2neutral

We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call 1-800-Gambler.

WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St. Julians, STJ3148, Malta.

Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.

Copyright © 2024