Maryland Senate Set for Final Vote on Sports Betting Crackdown

The Old Line State could soon see some significant changes to its online sports betting market.

The Maryland Senate Budget and Taxation Committee passed HB 518 on second reading yesterday, a bill that proposes new regulations aimed at protecting athletes and bettors. The approval sends it closer to receiving a full vote on the Senate Floor, putting it within reach of becoming law.

If the bill is passed, the Maryland sports betting market would see the following changes:

• Ban on player prop bets

• Ban credit card deposits

• Require bettors to set deposit and time limits

• Expansion of self-exclusion measures

The ban on player prop bets is aimed at protecting college athletes not only from angry bettors but also themselves. These bets have been linked to athlete harassment and have been at the center of several prominent betting scandals. That’s led to calls from the NCAA to ban the problematic type of bet, though only a handful of states have complied.

The other three changes are meant to address the growth of problem gambling. 

Maryland joins Massachusetts, New York, Kentucky, and Colorado in considering significant changes to their sports betting markets in 2026.

More Details Needed on Pre-Set Deposit Limits

Among the changes proposed in HB 518, one of the most drastic is the requirement of self-established deposit limits.

The bill language reads as follows:

“Require an online sports wagering account holder to establish a self-imposed limit on the amount of money deposited within a specified period of time, and the length of time the account holder will be unable to participate in sports wagering and make additional deposits if the account holder reaches the established self-imposed deposit limit.” 

Maryland would be the first state to require bettors to pre-set deposit limits within a specific amount of time. On paper, this could force those struggling with gambling addiction to stop wagering and cool off. This can help them fully realize their losses and give them plenty of time to clear their heads before adding to them.

While the idea is promising, the bill doesn’t include much detail on how the limits would work. 

The biggest question is the range of bettors that could choose from. Would sportsbooks be required to set the range based on the bettor's finances, or could they allow bettors to set it as high as they’d like? If the latter happens, it would make it easy for those struggling with problem gambling to avoid this safety net, limiting the proposal's impact.