Online Gambling in Maryland Today
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Maryland was a latecomer to the casino industry. There are now only six casinos in the state. The state is taking a softer stance on online poker and gambling on offshore sites.
It is legal to gamble in Maryland today. There are seven casinos, bingo halls, two racetracks, poker rooms and a state lottery. The Preakness Stakes is held at Pimlico raceway. Online gambling is still illegal in the state.
Lotteries were legalized in 1791. The first horse race was in Baltimore’s Pimlico Racecourse in 1873. Horse racing board was established in 1920. Several counties adopted slot machines in 1943. Slot machines were authorized for the first time in nearly 40 years in 2007. Hollywood Casino in Perryville became the state”s first officially licensed casino in 2010.
Maryland legalized online and retail sportsbooks in May 2021. The first sports bet was placed on December 9, 2021 by Gov. Larry Hogan. There are 60 online betting app licenses up for grabs. The objective is to encourage minority-owned enterprises to enter the sports betting industry. In January, casinos in Maryland took in $32.5 million in wagers.
Maryland will start offering sports betting at retail locations in late 2021. Five sportsbooks already have licenses and began accepting bets before the end of the year. The start date for online betting will be revealed soon.
