Maryland Considers Snuffing Out Regulated Gambling Entirely

Maryland has been running regulated gambling for several years now. Yet, the state may have had enough, as the General Assembly will reconvene for the upcoming legislative session in January and discuss the repeal of regulated gambling, and sports betting specifically.

Online Sports Betting to Be Targeted in New Legislative Session

The measure is not very likely to pass, as it would upset a major stream of revenue for the state, but it is still a hotly debated topic. Marylanders are not particularly keen on gambling, and a recent survey indicated that there is nearly no support for the legalization of online casinos, albeit the survey needs to be taken with a grain of salt.  

“Repealing online sports wagering beginning January 1, 2026; and requiring the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission, notwithstanding a certain provision of law, to refund the application fee submitted by certain applicants for and holders of mobile sports wagering licenses under certain circumstances,” the bill’s summary, pitched in the Maryland Senate by Sen. Joanne C. Benson, says.

It is unclear whether enough support could be garnered for such a sweeping measure, but legislators are confident enough to at least broach the topic. It is possible for Maryland to only consider specific types of markets, such as prop bets, which have been tied to a higher degree of gambling-related harm and addiction.

Prop Bets Have States and Regulators up in Arms

Marylanders as young as 15 years of age could actually be placing prop bets, reports suggest. Prop bets are at the center of most states’ reconsideration of their respective gambling industry. The recent FBI investigation, naming Terry Rozier, an NBA star, and other insiders, has intensified qualms about the risks posed by gambling.

At the same time, the NCAA has said that it would allow college-level athletes to bet on pro sports, while a wider debate about college prop bets has been going on, with the association asking local regulators to outlaw them.