In the United States, Maryland is quickly becoming one of the country’s gambling hotspots. Most gamers will agree with this, especially in the context of horse racing and tournament poker. This was not always the case though. The state is now enjoying a new era of legal gambling that did not exist before.
Unfortunately, if what you are looking for is locally-regulated legit gambling sites in Maryland, we have some rather disappointing news. As it stands, real money online gambling is yet to be legalized in the state. To make it even worse, there seem to be no plans to bring the activity to the state in the near future.
Some Maryland legislators have been debating on bringing online sports betting to the state but those plans are yet to solidify. There is hope in the buzz though. It means that online gambling is, at least, being considered at some levels. Reference: Horsebetting.com.
The Alternatives for Online Gamblers in Maryland
So, now that there are no Maryland-based real money online casinos, what options do players have? Well, gamers in the state can still enjoy some games from the comfort of wherever they may be.
The first available option will mainly benefit those who like to watch and bet on horse races. There are a decent number of legal websites that have been authorized to offer pari-mutuel wagers for horse racing. This is mostly possible thanks to the rather disappointing lack of horse and greyhound racetracks. As such, in addition to watching your favorite horse races online while in Maryland, you can also place some real money wagers through the aforementioned sites.
The second option that residents of Maryland could consider is online fantasy sports betting and social casino games. Fantasy sports betting has been a pretty big deal all across the United States. With big brands such as FanDuel and DraftKings leading the way, sports enthusiasts have been able to get a feel of what legal sports betting would be like.
Social casino games are also quite popular and offer players a taste of the online gambling experience. The only caveat is that these do not allow players to bet with real money. For many people, this is an advantage since it means that they do not need to risk their hard-earned cash.
What About Offshore Online Gambling Sites?
To fully understand the scope of this, we must dig deeper into Maryland’s gambling laws. Under Section 12 of the Maryland code, the state prohibits wagering or gambling without a license within the state’s borders. These local regulations do not, however, mention online betting and casinos in any way.
With no mention of any laws regarding the illegality of online gambling for the players, it is unlikely that you will get into trouble for placing a bet with an offshore site. The existing laws mainly relate to casino owners and operators who must have licenses to operate. That said, you will not need to worry about the state coming after you for engaging in online gambling with an offshore online gambling site.
Many of the existing offshore online casinos also offer their services to the residents of Maryland. They can get away with this as they do not fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s laws.
The Future of Gambling in Maryland
Compared to the other states, Maryland was a latecomer when it comes to legal gambling in the United States. If that is anything to go by, online gambling in the state may become a reality in the future but there is just no way of telling how soon that will be. Still, there is no doubt that the state has enough capacity to accommodate and foster the growth of an iGaming sector.
A look at Maryland’s system revealed that there is a capacity to have a decent number of Class A licenses for both online and retail betting options. Considering the success that the state has achieved with its retail casino offerings, the idea that online gambling will also do just as well is not too far-fetched. There is already a ready market that is just waiting for the arrival of state-sanctioned iGaming options.
In states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the online gambling sectors have grown immensely. These are likely to act as a benchmark for Maryland as its lawmakers continued to debate the viability of a legal iGaming landscape. Casinos in Maryland recorded and impress $32.5 million in wagers for January 2021. This is a massive leap from the time it debuted legal retail gambling. Something similar is possible for the iGaming sector. All that is required is a solid framework.
