A guide to betting online in Maryland 

When the Supreme Court in the U.S. struck down a 1992 federal law that prohibited sports betting throughout the States (spare for a few select exceptions), the nation’s potentially huge iGaming market looked set to realize its full potential after years of flattering to deceive.

To this end, eight states have already moved to legalize sports betting since the federal law was overturned last May, with seven others set to immediately follow suit.

However, lawmakers in the state of Maryland suffered a setback in their bid to fully legalize sports betting, after a proposed bill was defeated and put back until at least 2020.

But what does this mean for online betting in Maryland, and what options are available to bettors in the state?

What Does Maryland’s Sports Betting Laws Look Like?

As a result of this defeat, Maryland may not be able to fully legalize sports betting or online casino gameplay until 2021.

Whilst it doesn’t offer authorized or regular sports betting at this time, however, this doesn’t mean that it’s completely impossible for residents to gamble lawfully within the region.

Despite entering the marketplace relatively late in 2008, Maryland is now home to six fully-fledged, bricks-and-mortar casinos that generate significant tax income for the state authority.

Five of these locations are structured as traditional casino outlets, whilst the sixth is officially categorized as a “racino” that features a horse racing track alongside classic casino games.

When it comes to online wagering, options are currently limited to Pari-Mutual horse racing and fantasy sports, the latter of which has been sweeping across the nation and really capturing the imagination of punters across the board.

In terms of channels, residents of Maryland can still gamble legally at home through a select few verified websites, which allow for authorized Pari-Mutual wagers for both horse and greyhound racing.

The state doesn’t yet hold any live horse or greyhound events at racetracks, although once again this could change pending legislation updates in the future.

Is There Anything Else that you Need to Know?

If you are currently interested in wagering on horse or greyhound races online, there are a couple of resources to consider.

Both TwinSpires and TVG offer access to live streams as they unfold, for example, whilst other platforms can be used to place wagers and seek out potential returns.

In fact, a select few of the most popular sports betting apps New Jersey can be accessed in Maryland, with these applications enabling punters to place wagers quickly, efficiently and with the minimum of fuss.

You can also use the popular Watch and Wager platform to track live action and place bets as you go, with this option legally available to Maryland residents at present.

So, although online betting remains relatively restricted in the state of Maryland and the local authority has kicked it into the grass a bill to legalize sports betting, there still remains ample opportunities for residents to have a flutter online and enjoy their favorite pastime.

The question that remains is how the market will evolve in the future, and whether or not the state will legalize sports betting in the near-term?