Two more sportsbooks have been licensed in Maryland ahead of the opening of the state’s land-based betting market.
This comes after the state regulator began handing out sports betting licenses in November.
Two more sportsbooks licensed in Maryland
On Wednesday, the state’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) sports betting licenses to two off-track betting facilities. The two licenses were awarded to Riverboat-on-the-Potomac and Long Shot’s.
Riverboat-on-the-Potomac is partnered with PointsBet, while Long Shot’s has yet to announce a partnership with a major sportsbook.
The Australian sportsbook PointsBet was also in the news on Wednesday as the University of Maryland became the fifth university to partner with a sportsbook. PointsBet also partnered with the University of Colorado Buffaloes last year.
Both of the new licensees were designated as part of the group of 17 establishments to receive Maryland betting licenses. The Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Commission determined that both Riverboat-on-the-Potomac and Long Shot’s were qualified for licensing earlier this month.
In a press release, Alyse Cohen, owner of Long Shot’s said: “I am thrilled to be a trailblazer for a diverse and successful sports betting industry in the state of Maryland.
“We have exciting plans for our retail sportsbook that will make it a centerpiece to the economic and cultural vibrancy of the fastest growing county in the state. I appreciate the staff at the Maryland Lottery for working with Long Shot’s through the rigorous licensing process. We also look forward to working with the SWARC as the state establishes a mobile sports betting market that meets the goals of the legislature.”
Maryland betting market to go live today
It has been just over a year since Maryland voters legalized sports betting, but the wait will be over this afternoon when the state’s land-based betting market goes live.
In-person wagering at casino sportsbooks in the state of Maryland will become an official legal option as of Thursday afternoon.
MGM National Harbour is set to open its BetMGM branded sportsbook at 12:30 pm and will be followed by Caesars Sportsbook at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and a FanDuel Sportsbook at the Live! Casino Maryland facility on Friday.
Two more sportsbooks that were approved at the same time as the above three are also working towards launching. They will not go live this week, but Maryland bettors can expect to see them go live in the coming weeks and months.
These sportsbooks will be the Barstool Sportsbook at Hollywood Perryville and TwinSpires at Ocean Downs.
The state has yet to confirm a solid launch date for mobile sports betting.
Sports betting in Maryland
Maryland voters approved sports betting via a referendum back in November 2020.
Lawmakers worked quickly to create sports betting legislation earlier this year and the state’s governor went on to sign the legislation into law in May. The state hoped to have the sportsbooks operational during the NFL season and by the MLB World Series.
Regulations for sports betting were approved by the MLGC in July and were then published in August. The state regulator then opened the licensing process for sportsbooks in September.
At the time of writing, seven of the 17 facilities named in the state’s betting legislation have been awarded licenses for sports betting. These include:
- Hollywood Casino and Barstool Sportsbook
- Horseshoe Baltimore and Caesars Sportsbook
- Live! Casino Maryland and FanDuel Sportsbook
- MGM National Harbor and BetMGM Sportsbook
- Ocean Downs and TwinSpires Sportsbook
- Riverboat-on-the-Potomac and PointsBet
- Long Shot’s