Online gambling in Maryland is currently restricted by law, the state allows for land-based gambling at casinos and racetracks, and online gambling is limited to sports betting only. With moves across the US in states to legalise betting in states such as New York.
As New York betting is looking to evolve to online casinos, is Maryland Next?
Why are certain types of gambling illegal in different states?
- Fears of lack of regulation
The online world is a difficult one to navigate at the best of times, but especially when betting is involved. There was, and in some places still is, a fear that placing bets online might be difficult to regulate.
The fear was that it could be unsafe to place sports bets online on current gaming events, whether it be Lionel Messi’s charge towards the League Cup with Inter Miami or local Maryland fans backing their beloved Baltimore Orioles take on the Toronto Blue Jays to increase their world series odds. Either way it could have some detrimental effects on those who had been caught up in issues where there is lack of regulation and consumer protection. The internet is difficult to have control over in any way, so most states figured it was easier to ban it altogether.
However, people always manage to find some way around bans so they’re never completely effective. This has led to some people finding ways to get around the ban and leaving themselves open to unregulated sites.
The argument now is that it would in fact be safer to legalize betting and have it fully regulated with tight restrictions on those who take it all too far.
- Unsavoury reputation
Betting and gaming of any kind has had a bad reputation. People link it to misuse of alcohol and unsavoury behaviour. However, this is no longer the case in a modern age and people who want to place bets want this to be recognized.
We’re no longer living in a prohibition era and people who enjoy playing at casinos would like the laws to reflect that.
- Considered bad for the game.
Some professional leagues argue that sports betting is bad for the game. But this soon changed when Atlantic City reported that their industry was struggling to survive. In a 2011 referendum, New Jersey argued that sports betting should be allowed, and this was granted.
In 2018, a lot of other states followed suit and that is how sports betting was then allowed back into the fold on a grand scale.
Where can you legally play at an online casino?
It might surprise you to know that there are only six states where it’s legal to visit an online casino. These are Connecticut
However, sports betting is a different story. There are plenty more states where it is perfectly legal to bet on a football game but won’t allow you to visit an online casino.
This creates a huge disparity when it comes to what is legal and what isn’t across different states and can be confusing for those moving between state lines.
When will Maryland consider making iGaming legal?
In Maryland, it’s been legal for people to gamble in a land based casino since 2007. However, any gaming done at an online casino is still illegal and looks to stay that way until at least 2024. There will be a vote taking place in November 2024 to see if people would like the legalization of iGaming to take place. This bill is called the SB 267 and is greatly anticipated by those who would like to see online gaming legalized.
The conflicting laws for different types of gaming leads to some confusion for players as they are able to play casino games in a casino but aren’t allowed to play the same games in the comfort of their own home. This contradiction leads many to argue that they should be given the flexibility to game wherever they like.
In November of last year, Maryland was one of the states to add sports betting into their legal gaming realm. This is when they joined the majority of other states who allow sports betting to take place. In turn, this makes the potential of online casinos becoming legal seem a little bit closer.
The fact that this will be left up to the voters to decide leads most people to believe this bill will pass. Maryland might finally be welcomed into the fold of online gaming and its residents will be able to game from their own homes rather than having to travel to a land based casino.
There are many arguments to be considered when it comes to gaming of any kind. But what do you think about the legalization of online betting? Keep your eyes peeled to see what happens in Maryland next year.
