Maryland officials give no timeline for launch of mobile sports betting
Mobile sports betting on hold in Maryland
On Wednesday, Maryland officials met to discuss the future of sports betting in Maryland. During the meeting no timeline was given for mobile betting could become a reality, ensuring that it will not be ready for the start of the NFL and college football season.
MARYLAND - Sports fans waiting for mobile sports betting in Maryland are facing a setback.
On Wednesday, Maryland officials met to discuss the future of sports betting in Maryland. During the meeting no timeline was given for mobile betting could become a reality, ensuring that it will not be ready for the start of the NFL and college football season.
The Washington Commanders season starts September 11th.
The head of the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission said "proposed regulations" might not be published until August 26th, followed by a 30-day public comment period. Maryland’s Lottery tells FOX 5, it is frustrated to not have mobile sports betting up and running for the start of another NFL and college football season, especially since mobile apps dominate the legal gaming industry.
"When it’s in place mobile is about a 90% pull of the market, 10% being the brick and mortars so given that if you look at what we could do on an annual basis as terms of tax revenue for the state you’re looking at $25-30 million add on" says John Martin, the director of Maryland Lottery.
"Mobile gaming is basically the driver for these casinos, you don’t have to be at a physical location, you can do it from anywhere in that state so you’re missing out on a LOT of money," adds AJ Perez from Front Office Sports. "It’s lots of tax dollars obviously for when September hits, week one of the NFL season people bet, and the NFL is the most bet upon sport by a long shot."
While mobile sports betting remains stalled, Maryland officials did approve two additional brick & mortar retail sports betting licenses. One that will operate at Fedex Field in Landover, home of the Washington Commanders, and another at Chesapeake Gaming’s off-track-betting site in Boonsboro.
READ MORE: Maryland still waiting for mobile sports betting option
A spokesperson for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan tells FOX 5 the Governor is "still confident that this can be achieved in 2022--especially if the legislature's commission will show any kind of urgency whatsoever--and the governor will continue to hammer on everyone involved to work toward that goal."