Legal Maryland Betting Sites

21+ and present in MD. Please play responsibly. For help visit mdgamblinghelp.org or call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Maryland Online Sports Betting Apps

Maryland online sports betting launched on November 23^rd, 2022.

Bettors 21 or older can visit licensed online sportsbooks to place wagers on professional and college sports safely and legally. Lawmakers took an open market approach to online sports betting in Maryland, making 60 licenses available and giving bettors no shortage of options.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) investigates all online sportsbooks before approving them for licenses to ensure they are reputable, secure, financially stable, and treat customers fairly.

Below is a list of all sports betting apps currently available in Maryland:

• BetMGM Sportsbook
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• Caesars Sportsbook
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• BetRivers Sportsbook
• DraftKings Sportsbook
• ESPN Bet
• BetParx
• Bally Bet
• Crab Sports

Maryland Sports Betting Bonuses

Maryland sports betting bonuses play a significant role in the marketing efforts of licensed operators. Maryland’s open market approach to sports betting has established a competitive operating landscape, and bettors have many promotions to choose from.

Maryland Law On Sports Betting Promotions

Maryland law addresses advertising in general and sports betting promotions specifically.

First, general advertising rules prohibit licensed sportsbooks in Maryland from engaging in “false or deceptive advertising.” As a result, promotions and other inducements to bet on sports must be fair and honestly described.

Additionally, Section 36.10.13.41 of Maryland sports betting regulations specifically addresses bonuses and promotional offers. Under state law, licensed sportsbooks must submit the terms and conditions associated with any promotion to the Gaming Control Commission at least seven days in advance for approval.

All sports betting promotions in Maryland must communicate to customers the following information:

• A description of what the promotion offers
• Dates and times the promotion is available
• Who is eligible to participate
• Actions customers must take to receive the offer
• Registration procedures and limitations on participation
• Wagering requirements and limitations by type of wager
• The order in which funds are used for wagering
• Any restrictions on the withdrawal of funds
• Rules of cancellation
• A responsible gambling statement

Regulations also order Maryland online sportsbooks to state the terms and conditions associated with promotions in a “clear and conspicuous manner using plain language.”

Furthermore, Maryland sports betting apps may not cap winnings earned while participating in a promotion once the bettor has met its terms.

Maryland Sports Betting Locations

Maryland will eventually be home to dozens of retail sportsbook locations where bettors can place wagers in person.

Permissible sportsbook venues include casinos, race tracks, professional sports stadiums, off-track betting facilities (OTBs), and more qualifying locations.

• Caesars Sportsbook at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore
• BetMGM Sportsbook at MGM National Harbor
• FanDuel Sportsbook at Live! Casino and Hotel Hanover
• TwinSpires Sportsbook at Ocean Downs Casino
• The Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino Perryville
• BetRivers Sportsbook at Bingo World
• Fanatics Sportsbook at The Riverboat on the Potomac
• Fanatics Sportsbook at Northwest Stadium
• betPARX terminals at Greenmount Station OTB
• betPARX Sportsbook at the Greene Turtle Canton
• FanDuel Sportsbook at Sports & Social Bethesda

Maryland Sports Betting Law

The Maryland General Assembly legalized sports betting in April 2021 via HB 940, and Governor Hogan added his signature the following month. The sweeping law authorizes up to 60 licenses for mobile betting operators and up to 30 for retail sportsbooks at various locations.

Key points from the Maryland sports betting law:

• Sportsbooks in Maryland may accept wagers on professional and collegiate sports, the Olympics, and esports
• Maryland betting sites may not offer individual player prop bets on college athletes
• The Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) regulates sports betting
• The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) reviews and approves licenses for entities that wish to offer sports betting in Maryland. SWARC may only issue licenses to operators that have also received MLGCA approval.
• Class A sports betting licenses are reserved for professional sports venues, casinos, and horse race tracks
• Class B licenses go to smaller businesses, off-track betting facilities, bingo operators with at least 200 electronic gaming machines, and the Maryland Fairgrounds
• The Gaming Control Commission may not award Class A licenses to facilities located within a 15-mile radius of other Class A license holders in the counties of Allegany, Cecil, and Worcester
• The Commission may not award Class A licenses to facilities located within a 1.5-mile radius of other Class A or Class B license holders in all other counties
• Maryland sports betting revenue is subject to a 15% state tax
• Sports betting licensing fees in Maryland range from $50,000 to $2,000,000 depending on the type of license

How Sports Betting in Maryland Became Legal

Maryland starting exploring legalizing sports betting in early 2018, before the Supreme Court ruled PASPA unconstitutional. 

A bill introduced in February 2018 called for Maryland to hold a constitutional referendum to legalize sports betting but died before it could become law.

Lawmakers took up the issue again in 2019 by introducing SB 470 in February and pre-filing SB 58 in September. Neither bill gained enough support to make sports betting legal in Maryland.

Maryland sports betting efforts made significant headway in 2020, with the House and Senate approving SB 4 in March. The bill called for Maryland to hold a referendum in the November 2020 election, and Governor Larry Hogan let it pass into law without his signature.

Maryland sports betting proponents scored a significant victory in the election when an overwhelming majority of voters approved Question 2, which asked the following question:

Do you approve the expansion of commercial gaming in the State of Maryland to authorize sports and events betting for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education?

[ ] For the Referred Law

[ ] Against the Referred Law

With a final tally of 66.25% for and 33.75% against, the measure easily passed and cleared the way for legal Maryland sports betting.

The General Assembly passed the enabling legislation in April 2021 to legalize retail sportsbooks and online betting in Maryland. Lawmakers stated at the time that they would like to see the first Maryland sportsbooks open later that year.

The Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Commission approved additional regulations in August 2021, clearing one significant hurdle for the launch of sports betting.

Maryland sports betting took another important step forward one month later when the Sports Wagering Application Review Committee (SWARC) began accepting license applications.

In November 2021, SWARC began approving casinos for sports betting.

Regulators turned their attention to online sports betting the following year. Throughout 2021, Maryland approved additional regulations, issued licenses to online sportsbooks, and began authorizing betting sites to go live.

In September 2022, SWARC sped up the launch timeline by unanimously voting to issue licenses on a rolling basis rather than waiting to grant all approvals at once.

The state also moved quickly to approve the additional emergency regulations needed to launch online wagering.

In summary, state officials worked hard to get all the key pieces in place for the first Maryland sports betting apps to launch in time for a big Thanksgiving NFL weekend.

Maryland Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports sites are legal in Maryland and must register with the state to offer real-money DFS contests.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission regulates fantasy sports, processes requests from operators to offer real-money games, and ensures ongoing compliance with state law.

Multiple daily fantasy sports sites operate in Maryland and numerous niche providers specializing in various formats.

Readers can learn more about fantasy sports in Maryland below:

• Maryland Daily Fantasy Sports Apps

Maryland Horse Racing Betting

Maryland boasts a robust horse racing betting industry as the home of the annual Preakness Stakes and multiple world-class race tracks.

Licensed race tracks, off-track betting facilities, and advance deposit wagering providers (online betting sites) offer legal pari-mutuel wagering on races held in Maryland, nationwide, and abroad.

Maryland horse racing betting sites offer the most convenient alternative for anyone who can’t make it to the nearest track or OTB. Legal Maryland ADWs accept customers 18 or older and comply with all state and federal laws.

Learn more about betting on horse races in Maryland:

• Maryland Horse Racing Betting Sites

Maryland Online Gambling

Maryland law prohibits online casinos and poker sites, but sweepstakes casinos are available to residents.

There’s a strong baseline level of support for legal online casinos in Maryland, but key stakeholders worry that legalization could result in lost revenue and jobs for brick-and-mortar operators. Additionally, problem gambling concerns and a constitutional hurdle present significant challenges that advocates are still trying to overcome.

Read more about legal online gambling in Maryland here:

• Maryland Online Casinos

Maryland Online Lottery

The Maryland Lottery does not sell tickets online, but players can initiate subscriptions online for four games:

• Mega Millions
• Powerball
• Multi-Match
• Cash4Life

However, MD Lottery subscriptions are not fully “online” because the only way to pay is via check or money order in the mail. See BettingUSA’s Maryland Lottery page for more information about the lottery’s current offerings and the latest discussions regarding online sales:

• Maryland Online Lottery

Maryland Gambling Laws

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (LGCA) oversees the state lottery and land-based gaming industry. The LGCA issues gaming licenses, monitors casinos for adhering to all state regulations, and ensures that the lottery operates safely and legally.

Criminal law in Maryland prohibits participating in or organizing gambling except when expressly permitted by the state. Section 12-102 states the following:

(a)   A person may not:

(1)   bet, wager, or gamble;

(2)   make or sell a book or pool on the result of a race, contest, or contingency;

(3)   establish, keep, rent, use, or occupy, or knowingly allow to be established, kept, rented, used, or occupied, all or a part of a building, vessel, or place, on land or water, within the State, for the purpose of:

(i)   betting, wagering, or gambling; or

(ii)   making, selling, or buying books or pools on the result of a race, contest, or contingency; or

(4)   receive, become the depository of, record, register, or forward, or propose, agree, or pretend to forward, money or any other thing or consideration of value, to be bet, wagered, or gambled on the result of a race, contest, or contingency.

(b)   A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not less than 6 months and not exceeding 1 year or a fine of not less than $200 and not exceeding $1,000 or both.

Maryland decriminalized social poker games in 2016 with the passage of HB 127. Games that meet the following criteria are considered lawful under state law.

• The game cannot involve more than $1,000 during any 24-hour period
• The game cannot occur more than once a week
• The organizers do not advertise the game to the public
• No one may make a profit off the game except as a player

Note: players and organizers should always speak with an attorney for qualified legal advice before attending or hosting a poker game.

HB 127 received considerable support among retirees in Maryland who enjoy poker and mah-jongg in particular.

One 72-year-old resident who supported the bill explained that she was motivated by an instance in which the police raided a $4 mah-jongg game in her retirement community after a resident who had lost $20 called the police to report the game.

Responsible Gambling in Maryland

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) promotes responsible gambling by supporting preventive education and treatment programs.

The MLGCA has also adopted various regulations requiring all Maryland sportsbooks to support responsible gambling. For example, licensed Maryland betting sites must support the state’s self-exclusion program, provide simple methods for customers to establish spending limits, and enact a responsible gambling plan approved by the MLGCA.

In addition, Maryland bettors may use the following resources for information about problem gambling, confidential helplines, and addiction treatment options.

• Maryland Problem Gambling Helpline: Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER; visit the website for live chat support, problem gambling information, a list of free problem gambling counselors, peer support from people who have recovered from gambling addiction, and additional resources
• Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gambling: Free counselor finder, problem gambling resources, self-assessments, and voluntary exclusion information
• Maryland Coalition of Families: Assistance finding the right therapist or counselor, information about peer support groups like Gamblers Anonymous, help for the loved ones of problem gamblers; visit the website to submit a help request online; call 410-730-8267 or e-mail help@mdcoalition.org for more information
• Gam-Anon Maryland: Find support meetings for anyone affected by someone else’s gambling problem (spouses, family members, friends, etc.)

Maryland Sports Betting and Gambling Self-Exclusion

The MLGCA offers a self-exclusion program covering most forms of gambling and sports betting in Maryland.

Gamblers and sports bettors can register with the Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) for at least two years or life for any combination of the following types of gambling:

• Sports Betting and Fantasy Sports: People in this category may not visit retail sportsbooks, use online sports betting sites, or participate in daily fantasy contests online; some MD betting sites restrict self-excluded individuals from all forms of gambling associated with their brands
• Casinos: Self-excluded individuals in this category may not enter Maryland casinos; some casinos extend the exclusion to their retail sportsbooks and mobile wagering platforms
• Maryland Lottery: Individuals in this category may not purchase or play any Maryland Lottery game.
• Bingo Halls: Anyone in this category may not play instant bingo machines at any facility with more than ten instant bingo machines.

People can apply for self-exclusion by filling out a voluntary exclusion form and submitting it in person at:

• Any Maryland casino
• The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Headquarters via appointment only (call 410-230-8798)

Important Maryland self-exclusion points:

• There is no means by which a spouse, family member, or friend can register for self-exclusion on someone else’s behalf – VEP is strictly voluntary.
• Self-exclusion does not end automatically; individuals who select a two-year term may apply to leave the exclusion list after the period ends
• Anyone who has self-excluded faces the risk of criminal trespassing charges if found inside a casino, sportsbook, or other restricted as determined by their self-exclusion agreement
• Some Maryland casinos restrict excluded patrons from their facilities in all states

Maryland Sports Betting FAQ