Maryland could be one of the next states to launch iGaming, but there’s a lot of work to do
iGaming legislation is scheduled for a Senate committee hearing in Maryland this week as revenues continue declining at the state’s six brick-and-mortar retail casinos. State Senator Ron Watson proposed Senate Bill 603 in January, which seeks to partner each of the state’s six casinos with two online casino operators.
Watson and other iGaming supporters say it would provide the state an estimated $300 million a year in new tax revenue and that consumers prefer playing casino games from the convenience of their mobile devices.
The bill will go before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee next Wednesday, February 28. If passed in each chamber and signed by Gov. Wes Moore (D), Maryland residents would have the final word on iGaming when they go to the polls in November.
Maryland doesn’t have legal online casino gaming. However, retail casinos in the state report that revenue has fallen more than 3%. Live! in Hanover, MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Ocean Downs in Berlin, Horseshoe Baltimore, Rocky Gap in Flintstone and Hollywood Perryville earned $68.5 million less in revenue than in 2022. The revenue decline continued in January, as the six retail locations reported an 8% year-over-year reduction.
Union leaders representing over 15K employees at the six casinos are opposed to iGaming, fearing that online expansion would cause layoffs. Tracy Lingo, president of Unite Here Local 7, says permitting mobile casino gaming means important positions like dealers and security personnel will be in less demand.
Opponents also have concerns about gambling addiction, with Watson saying the iGaming industry has sufficient protocols to manage problem gambling, including third-party outreach support and operator-provided cooling-off periods for players.
